A few of my favorite things

"The Day the Music Died refers to the tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959, that claimed the lives of American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, along with pilot Roger Peterson. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Clear Lake, Iowa, during the Winter Dance Party tour, where the musicians were performing. The event has since been memorialized in various forms, including a monument at the crash site and a museum in Holly's hometown. The phrase "The Day the Music Died" became famous through Don McLean's 1971 song "American Pie," which reflects on the cultural impact of the loss of these artists and the subsequent changes in the music industry." (Wikipedia) - *Photos are all stock photos available on internet sites*

Then there's the diabetic food pyramid; I'm pre-diabetic. It's also ok but too much bread.

Lately I've been using the Mediterranean diet pyramid. Vegetables, fish & seafood - not as much bread.

Well here we go with another pyramid thanks to HHS. It looks ok, not too much different from the previous three. I like the fresh, real food approach, - MAHA- once again when possible I've eaten that way for a long time. I grew up going to the farmers market & eating meatless meals a few times a month.

As a guide all of them are doable but dang, that's 4 diets shoved at me & all are a bit different. I eat so little bread my doctor said my good cholesterol was low, so now I eat more bread, pasta, & rice. It shouldn't be this hard to find something that everyone can agree on. I just know if I take these 4 to any of those doctors I'd get a non-committal response; I'll have to figure it out myself.

Are eggs good or bad now?

The City of Memphis is usually said to have been founded by John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson. But there was a fourth founder whose name sounds like a holiday and whose story is often forgotten.

John Christmas McLemore is considered the fourth founding father of Memphis. He was not named after the holiday. Christmas was his mother’s maiden name, which was unusual but meaningful. McLemore was born in Orange County, North Carolina, on January 1, 1790. At just 16 years old, he moved to Nashville to study land surveying with his uncle, William Christmas, the Surveyor General of the military district. McLemore trained for five years. When his uncle died, McLemore was appointed to take his place.

McLemore married Elizabeth Donelson, who was Andrew Jackson’s niece. He and Jackson became business partners in several land deals. Before Jackson ran for president, he traded his more than 600 acres of Memphis land to McLemore in exchange for land elsewhere. McLemore then moved to Memphis and focused on selling land and building up the new town.

He also bought land south of Memphis where the old Fort Pickering stood and founded a town there called Fort Pickering. McLemore owned land across West Tennessee, which is why towns like Christmasville (I have a friend whose family was from Christmasville) and McLemoresville still carry his name. He believed strongly in transportation and dreamed of a railroad connecting Memphis to LaGrange. He even offered land for a depot. The Memphis and LaGrange Railway was approved in 1834 but ran out of money before it could be finished. (LaGrange still exist - outside of Memphis city limits)

The failed railroad and the Panic of 1837 cost McLemore much of his wealth. In 1849, he went west to California during the Gold Rush, hoping to start over. After the Civil War began, he returned to Memphis. McLemore died at his daughter’s home in 1864 and is buried in the Chapel Hill section of Elmwood Cemetery. A few years later, in 1868, Fort Pickering was officially made part of the City of Memphis. (Fort Pickering was located in what is the South end of downtown Memphis. I think there's a museum of some kind around there)

Story by Bradley Jolly, Mirror

Meghan Markle fans have jumped to her defence after a business owner branded her "villain of the year" in a scathing attack.

In the picture, Meghan, 44, is wearing a Santa hat with "Montecito Diva" emblazoned across it. The Duchess of Sussex is featured alongside other "villains" including California governor Gavin Newsom, George Clooney and Katy Perry.

But Meghan's supporters are irate, including one who has called Kitson multiple times in one day this week to talk to Mr Ross. The business owner said: "One called the store 20 times to say we 'weren’t nice'. She was deranged."

Mr Ross, though, has doubled down on his decision to include the Duchess of Sussex in the mix. He said: "Two months ago we asked our followers who should be on the windows and Meghan’s name [repeatedly] came up and they stated reasons."

Meghan's fans expressed their sympathy for the star this month after her father was rushed to hospital and needed surgery. She eventually reached out to Thomas, the former TV lighting director, amid growing support from her following.

And her following has continued to show support amid Meghan's latest challenges, despite Mr Ross' insistence her place on the gallery is justified. He told the Daily Mail: "We have been getting harassed by Meghan Markle fans. We told them we do this every year and she won one of the spots. Hopefully a retail store can knock some sense into Meghan because her "yes people" are making people dislike her more."

The business owner said customers cited their disdain for Meghan and Prince Harry's criticism of the Royal Family as reasons to include her on the gallery, which also features George Clooney and Katy Perry.

After Harry and Meghan quit their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to America, Kitson, which is in Robertson Blvd, started offering up 'Team Harry & Meghan' and 'Team William & Kate' t-shirts so buyers could back their favourite royal couple.

And the shop has taken fire at the Duchess of Sussex again as disparaging headlines plastered alongside the former actress criticise her decision "not to let go of her royal status".

Hallmark holiday movie fans are flocking to Connecticut's quaint filming locations

Story by SUSAN HAIGH, The Associated Press

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. (AP) — “Christmas at Pemberly Manor” and “Romance at Reindeer Lodge” may never make it to Oscar night, but legions of fans still love these sweet-yet-predictable holiday movies — and this season, many are making pilgrimages to where their favorite scenes were filmed.

That's because Connecticut — the location for at least 22 holiday films by Hallmark, Lifetime and others — is promoting tours of the quaint Christmas-card cities and towns featured in this booming movie market; ****places where a busy corporate lawyer can return home for the holidays and cross paths with a plaid shirt-clad former high school flame who now runs a Christmas tree farm. (Spoiler alert: they live happily ever after.)****

“It’s exciting — just to know that something was in a movie and we actually get to see it visually,” said Abby Rumfelt of Morganton, North Carolina, after stepping off a coach bus in Wethersfield, Connecticut, at one of the stops on the holiday movie tour.

Rumfelt was among 53 people, mostly women, on a recent weeklong "Hallmark Movie Christmas Tour," organized by Mayfield Tours from Spartanburg, South Carolina. On the bus, fans watched the matching movies as they rode from stop to stop.

To plan the tour, co-owner Debbie Mayfield used the “ Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail ” map, which was launched by the wintry New England state last year to cash in on the growing Christmas-movie craze.

Mayfield, who co-owns the company with her husband, Ken, said this was their first Christmas tour to holiday movie locations in Connecticut and other Northeastern states. It included hotel accommodations, some meals, tickets and even a stop to see the Rockettes in New York City. It sold out in two weeks.

With snow flurries in the air and Christmas songs piped from a speaker, the group stopped for lunch at Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre, where parts of the Hallmark films “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane" and “Rediscovering Christmas" were filmed.

Once home to America’s oldest seed company, the store is located in a historic district known for its stately 1700s and 1800s buildings. It's an ideal setting for a holiday movie. Even the local country store has sold T-shirts featuring Hallmark’s crown logo and the phrase “I Live in a Christmas Movie. Wethersfield, CT 06109."

“People just know about us now,” said Julia Koulouris, who co-owns the market with her husband, Spiros, crediting the movie trail in part. “And you see these things on Instagram and stuff where people are tagging it and posting it.”

Christmas movies are big business — and a big deal to fans

The concept of holiday movies dates back to 1940s, when Hollywood produced classics like “It's A Wonderful Life," “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Christmas in Connecticut,” which was actually shot at the Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California.

In 2006, five years after the launch of the Hallmark Channel on TV, Hallmark “struck gold” with the romance movie “The Christmas card,” said Joanna Wilson, author of the book “Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-Themed Episodes, Specials and Made-for-TV Movies.”

“Hallmark saw those high ratings and then started creating that format and that formula with the tropes and it now has become their dominant formula that they create for their Christmas TV romances,” she said.

The holiday movie industry, estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year, has expanded beyond Hallmark and Lifetime. Today, a mix of cable and broadcast networks, streaming platforms, and direct-to-video producers release roughly 100 new films annually, Wilson said. The genre has also diversified, with characters from a wider range of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as LGBTQ+ storylines.

The formula, however, remains the same. And fans still have an appetite for a G-rated love story.

“They want to see people coming together. They want to see these romances. It’s a part of the hope of the season,” she said. “Who doesn’t love love? And it always has a predictable, happy ending.”

Hazel Duncan, 83, of Forest City, North Carolina, said she and her husband of 65 years, Owen, like to watch the movies together year-round because they're sweet and family-friendly. They also take her back to their early years as a young couple, when life felt simpler.

“We hold hands sometimes,” she said. “It's kind of sweet. We've got two recliners back in a bedroom that's real small and we've got the TV there. And we close the doors off and it's just our time together in the evening.”

Falling in love again... with a state

Connecticut's chief marketing officer, Anthony M. Anthony, said the Christmas Movie Trail is part of a multipronged rebranding effort launched in 2023 that promotes the state not just as a tourist destination, but also as a place to work and live.

“So what better way to highlight our communities as a place to call home than them being sets of movies?” he said.

However, there continues to be debate at the state Capitol over whether to eliminate or cap film industry tax credits — which could threaten how many more of these movies will be made locally.

Christina Nieves and her husband of 30 years, Raul, already live in Connecticut and have been tackling the trail “little by little."

It's been a chance, she said, to explore new places in the state, like the Bushnell Park Carousel in Hartford, where a scene from “Ghost of Christmas Always” was filmed.

It also inspired Nieves to convince her husband — not quite the movie fan she is — to join her at a tree-lighting and Christmas parade in their hometown of Windsor Locks.

“I said, listen, let me just milk this Hallmark thing as long as I can, OK?” she said

Just watched the movie The Usual Suspects from 1995. Everyone was smoking, I was too back then. I haven't seen this in a long time and had a vague memory of the plot. Wow, it was good. Hollywood forgot how to make movies that were entertaining much less smart & keeps you guessing. The cast, the story, the overall look of the scenes; it all came together into a superb movie.

Celebrities Who Are Obsessed With Thrifting

Story by Katherine J Igoe, Marie Claire US

Most of these celebrities are "thrifting" from sites like The RealReal, a high end consignment on-line shop. A few are down-and-dirty thrift store shoppers like me. My habit started during Covid. I was redecorating the master bedroom and bath on a budget. On a whim I stopped in the closest Goodwill store to see what might be there and became hooked.

Everyone was repairing or redecorating back then, the store was full of perfectly good "finds". In the end I bought new linens, bedspread, sheets, towels, but that was about it for store bought new. I was working with Amazon back then so most things in my room are from them, Goodwill, or I already owned. It was so much fun. I had plenty of time to comb the store and talk to the employees for tips. Their stores are designed for disabled people so my cane or walker had plenty of room to maneuver. Department stores were taking the opportunity to clean up clothing stock so I made out like a bandit. Finding a brand new pair of shoes or a name brand item NWT - new with tag - was a terrific sense of accomplishment. A brand new Calvin Klein shirt, with tags for $4.00, was one of the best discoveries. I recognized the tag as being from Dillard's. The really expensive items are pulled for the Goodwill on-line auction site, I found a Calvin Klein coat in my size. See what happened...the downside is I now have a taste for designer clothing and my closet looked like a department store warehouse.

John Johnson’s life reads like a true American frontier story. Born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1826, he crossed the Atlantic as a young boy and arrived in Pittsburgh in 1838. A few years later, fate carried him south when he was adopted by Mrs. Jane Smith, who sought a gentler climate for her fragile health in 1844.

As a teenager and young man, Johnson carved out an adventurous path. For three years he worked the flatboats, traveling up the St. Francis River and into the mysterious Sunken Lands, trading with Native Americans for furs. Eventually he made his way to Memphis, where he planted his roots. He first entered the grocery business alongside John W. Todd and C. W. Goyer, and by 1853 had shifted into the clothing trade, an occupation he held until the Civil War brought commercial life to a halt.

Johnson’s steady character and practical leadership carried him into public service. From 1870 to 1873, he served as mayor of Memphis. Early in his term, he made the decisive move to scale the wartime-expanded police force from 120 officers down to 80, restoring balance to a city in recovery.

His service didn’t stop at City Hall. In 1878, he became secretary of the Phoenix Fire Insurance Company, and when yellow fever swept through Memphis that same year, Johnson stepped forward again, this time as superintendent of nurses for the Howard Association. In 1879, the National Board of Health appointed him superintendent of quarantine, a role vital to public safety during times of fear and uncertainty.

John Johnson lived a long, full life marked by grit, compassion, and civic duty. He died in 1908 at the age of eighty-one and rests today in the Fowler section of Elmwood, where his story continues to be remembered.

An Insider Claims Meghan Markle Is “Super Pleasant” Amid Allegations That She’s “Difficult” on Set

Story by Samantha Olson, Cosmopolitan

Meghan Markle is making her return to acting in an upcoming movie, Close Personal Friends, alongside Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Henry Golding, and Jack Quaid.

She’s set to play a fictionalized version of herself in the flick, and according to reports, she has joked that she feels “rusty” on set.

Insiders share she’s “super pleasant to be around” on set in light of a recent claim she was “difficult” and “rude” during her time on Suits.

This is not a drill: Meghan Markle is returning to our screens soon with a new project. Of course, she’s kept busy with documentaries and her lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, but this marks her first acting role since she played lawyer Rachel Zane on Suits from 2011 to 2018.

According to The Sun, the Duchess of Sussex is set to make a cameo as a fictionalized version of herself in the upcoming movie, Close Personal Friends, which stars Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Henry Golding, and Jack Quaid. A new source has provided some intel on Meghan’s acting comeback, telling People, “She introduced herself as ‘Meghan.’ Everything about her was very sweet and calm.”

The insider also noted that Meghan was “super pleasant to be around” with “warm energy.” It’s interesting timing to drop this comment, since royal commentator Angela Lenvin recently claimed Meghan was “rude” and “difficult” on the set of Suits before she became a Royal.

“Meghan won’t love being told what to do by any producer. Suits actors found her ‘difficult, demanding and rude’ and she was only a starter then,” Angela wrote in a November 6 social media post.

Before sources came through with the latest insight, Meghan’s on-screen dad, Wendell Pierce, fiercely defended her against Angela’s allegation.

“You have no idea what you are talking about @angelalevin1. You are a gossip monger looking to profit off of smearing a woman you know nothing about, ” he replied, later adding, “I’ll focus this anger on the friendship that Meghan and I have and the fond memories I have from working on SUITS. Her grace is something you know nothing about.”

Meghan has yet to address the new acting role and the allegations that followed—but, according to People’s insider, it was a “big deal” for her to even make a cameo in Close Personal Friends.

“She genuinely seemed excited to be on set,” they shared. “She was joking that she felt a bit rusty, but it was obvious that she had rehearsed and that it was a big deal for her to be back. And she was great.”

Oprah features Meghan Markle’s pricey homemade jam in 2025 holiday gift guide

Story by Janelle Ash, FOX News

Oprah Winfrey is giving her famous friends, like Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian, a shout-out in her 2025 Favorite Things List.

On Nov. 5, the former talk show host released her annual guide, which first debuted in her magazine, Oprah Daily, in 1996. Winfrey breaks her list into categories, including food, travel, budget-friendly, wellness, kids and families.

In the food section of this year's list, Winfrey highlighted Markle's As Ever holiday drop — their Signature Fruit Spread. The Duchess of Sussex's spread retails for $42. Markle's orange marmalade, strawberry jam and raspberry jam are included in the set.

"Before my neighbor Meghan started her business, she shared her homemade recipes with us," Winfrey said in her gift guide.

Decades ago Princess Diana passed on clothing to Fergie to help supplement her wardrobe - no $$ plus the public eye meant the press was unkind. "Princess of Pork" wasn't just about her love of $$, it was also her size. This continued unnoticed until Sarah made the huge mistake of saying something about warts on her feet & she thought it had come from wearing Diana's shoes. The beginning of the end for their friendship. By the time Diana died they weren't on speaking terms.

Kate Middleton Proves Even Princesses Rewear Clothes

Story by Santanu Das, theFashionSpot

Kate Middleton’s Catherine Walker coatdress returned to the spotlight at the Armistice Day Service of Remembrance on November 11. The Princess of Wales led the event at the National Memorial Arboretum. She chose the designer’s piece again, signaling continuity and respect on a solemn anniversary.

Not everyone loves strict military styling, yet the look balanced ceremony with signature polish. From the rewear to the accessories that completed the monochrome tribute, the ensemble echoed past appearances that marked national remembrance.

At the Armistice Day Service of Remembrance, Kate Middleton re-wore her long black Catherine Walker coatdress. The piece featured a sharp stand collar, braided appliqué across the bodice, and small tassels. She paired it with a wide-brimmed Jane Taylor hat and wool gloves from Cornelia James.

A pair of black suede Gianvito Rossi boots grounded the look with a clean line. Moreover, a red poppy pin and diamond-framed ruby earrings added restrained color. The earrings are rarely seen and are reportedly from G Collins and Sons.

The repeat wear connects to 2019 and 2023, when she chose the same silhouette, as per WWD. That history underlines the bond between Kate Middleton and Catherine Walker, a label favored by Princess Diana as well. The decision also reflects her well-known approach to thoughtful reworks and reduced novelty.

Meghan Markle makes 'massive' return to acting – nine years after last role

Story by Daniel Bird, Mirror

Meghan Markle is returning to acting. The Duchess of Sussex's last acting role was in the 2016 Hallmark Channel TV movie, Dater's Handbook, as Cassandra Brand.

The Duchess officially retired from her time on screen eight years ago after she started dating Prince Harry, and their relationship became more serious. She found fame playing paralegal Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits, between 2011 and 2018, with her final scene being filmed the year before her exit.

But now, sources claim that she's preparing to step back into her former career, alongside the likes of Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Brit Henry and Jack Quaid for the production of Close Personal Friends. Today, the Duchess was reportedly on set in Pasadena, Los Angeles.

Although she's returning to the screens, it's said she will be playing herself in the Amazon MGM Studios film, which focuses on two couples, one of them being famous, and the other not being famous.

A source told The Sun: "This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right. It is Meghan's way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set."

They added that everybody involved in the production had been sworn to secrecy. Meanwhile, her husband, the Duke of Sussex, is said to be extremely supportive of his wife's return to the screen and has been encouraging her to do "whatever brings her joy."

Earlier this year, the mother-of-two admitted that she occasionally missed her acting career. But while Harry is extremely supportive, he admits that one scene of Meghan's left a lasting mark on his mind. Writing in his memoir, Spare, the Duke said: "I'd witnessed her and a cast mate mauling each other in some sort of office conference room.

"It would take electric shock therapy to get those images out of my head." In the past, Meghan has always been open about her experiences as an actress, admitting she struggled earlier in her career. Despite getting countless auditions, directors rejected her, which she says had an impact on her self-esteem.

Speaking to Vanity Fair in October 2022, the Duchess made a very cryptic comment about a possible return to the industry. She told the outlet: "I left Suits right after the 100th episode, in 2018. I didn't think I'd ever be in the entertainment industry again. But the entire culture has changed; streamers have changed things. The ability to create zeitgeist moments like we had in the '90s — where everyone would tune in at the same time for a show or gather for one moment? — that doesn't happen anymore.

"When I was doing Suits, that character, Rachel Zane, was in your living room with you while you were in your pyjamas eating Chinese takeout. That's how connected the experience felt then. But to create a cultural moment or conversation requires something different today. Podcasting has been really interesting in that way. It might be one of the only remaining forums where people are alone to listen. Where else do you have that opportunity?"

When asked directly if she would consider returning to the screens, she quipped: "No, I'm done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not."

In 2021, just one year after Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior working members of The Royal Family, it was revealed that the Duchess would consider a return for the "right role". She and Prince Harry later signed a deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, which included Harry & Meghan, and most recently, With Love, Meghan.

Film-maker Jia Wertz told the Daily Star: "Considering that Meghan Markle had a 15-year career as an actress and has now signed a production deal with Netflix, which is taking her back to the world of Hollywood, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility to think she will return to acting for the right role."

She went on to add: "The bold and decisive decisions Markle has made by stepping down as a senior member of the royal family and moving back to Southern California indicates that she knows what she wants, and has stated that she has no plans to return to acting. Fans may see her appear on camera in her new documentary endeavours, though."

Kate Middleton’s most iconic tiara moment to date: Reviving 100-year-old treasure

Story by Daniel Neira, Hola USA

In a moment that thrilled royal watchers in 2023, Kate Middleton revived a piece of history when she wore the Strathmore Rose Tiara at a Buckingham Palace state banquet. The delicate headpiece, composed of diamonds arranged in a garland of five roses, had not been seen publicly since the 1930s.

The tiara was a wedding gift from the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne to his daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1923. She wore it in a series of early portraits alongside her husband, the future King George VI, but it was last photographed in her possession nearly a century ago. Queen Elizabeth II inherited the jewel but never chose to wear it during her record-breaking reign, leaving the sparkling heirloom tucked away in the royal vault, until Kate’s appearance revived it.

Meghan Markle sparks backlash over spelling in breakfast post

Story by Sead Dedovic, Celeb Tattler

Meghan Markle has once again sparked a flood of comments and criticism after sharing a recipe for a 'fancy' breakfast on her As Ever brand profile

Meghan Markle has once again found herself the target of online jokes after posting a breakfast recipe on her As Ever brand profile that many followers called out for, as they say, a spelling error.

Pun or mistake?

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, 44, posted a photo of her fancy morning meal prepared at her luxurious home in Montecito earlier this week. And it wasn't so much the contents of the plate that caught the attention, but Meghan's caption with the post.

'Inspiration for pancakes with a spicy twist! As Ever pancake mix, fried egg + any vegetables from your fridge = a fun and sophisticated version of your favorite breakfast sandwich,' Meghan wrote.

Instead of the word 'sandwich', she used 'sandwhich', which many interpreted as a spelling error. Some fans tried to explain that it was a pun on the subject of 'which veggies', but most of the comments were not mild. 

Others wondered about the glass of wine or champagne with breakfast, noting that 'details on social media are especially valuable when promoting your own brand'. 

However, most concluded that the joke missed the mark.

New gaffe in a row

However, this is not the first time that Meghan's carefully staged posts have attracted attention for their details. Earlier this month, while posing in the kitchen with a new Sauvignon Blanc, in the photo she appeared to be holding a jar tongs upside down, which experienced chefs and winter food makers immediately noticed in the comments. 

Jokes followed that it was her 'first attempt' at making a homemade product, with comments that she was 'holding the tool on the wrong end'.

Meghan Markle's 10th publicist quits after three months, hinting at 'horrible' conditions

Story by Lauren Welch, Alice Scarsi, Amrita Carroll, The Daily Express

Meghan Markle has suffered another blow with her latest publicist departing after just three months on the job. Emily Robinson, a former senior director of publicity at Netflix, reportedly departed this month.

Ms Robinson joined the team in June, becoming the tenth individual to serve as the Duchess of Sussex's publicist within a mere five years. The choice to bring Ms Robinson aboard had stirred some controversy, given her previous work on Netflix's The Crown, a series that had angered certain Royal enthusiasts and observers for broadcasting harmful stories about the Royal Family.

However, Meghan's director of communications departed the Sussex organization earlier this month, according to the Daily Mail.

An associate of Emily, who earned recognition as a "tough cookie" at Netflix, disclosed that it was her personal choice to resign from her position with Meghan. They said: "It was her decision. She left a few weeks ago. She's not a quitter, so things must have been pretty horrible for her to go."

Ms Robinson's LinkedIn profile presently contains no mention that she collaborated with Meghan, though it does outline other former positions she has occupied. Those who continue with the Sussex organization include Liam Maguire, the director of communications in Europe, and Meredith Maines, the couple's chief communications officer.