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Pop Culture

David Harbour and Lily Allen just gave the coolest home tour ever and people are loving it

The only thing better than their decor is their love.

david harbour, lily allen, architectural digest
Architectural Digest/Youtube

This house was made with love.

Celebrity home tours are usually a divisive topic. Some find them fun and inspirational. Others find them tacky or out of touch. But this home tour has seemingly brought unanimous joy to all.

“Stranger Things” actor David Harbour and British singer-songwriter Lily Allen, whose Vegas wedding in 2020 came with an Elvis impersonator, gave a tour of their delightfully quirky Brooklyn townhouse for Architectural Digest, and people were absolutely loving it.

For one thing, the house just looks cool. There’s nothing monotone or minimalist about it. No beige to be seen.


The couple hired interior designer Billy Cotton and architect Ben Bischoff to use the 19th-century building’s classical Italian-style architecture (and its Italian-American history) as inspiration for the renovation. Along with that, they have some added layers of traditional English design, modern New York touches, a ton of floral wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, pink silk sheets…and a velvet emerald sofa for good measure.

The result? As Cotton told Architectural Digest, it was “as if they’d inherited the home from a kooky Italian nonna with fabulous taste.”

Also, Harbour and Allen are so. darn. cute. Throughout the entire video tour, they were able to make each other laugh, applaud each other's taste and show affection towards each other. It’s lovely.

Watch:

All in all, people were equally inspired by the couple’s home and their relationship.

Here are some of the top comments:

“A house ain't a home without love stored in its walls. You can feel how much love they have for each other. So sweet.”

“They are just such a cool couple and I love their quirky style. I was not expecting how floral some of their interior choices are, but I think they seem to be very attuned and open to each others’ tastes."

“This has to be my all-time favorite AD tour. The two of them together are SO GOOD! And their home is like an exploration of the entire spectrum of design! The colors, the patterns, the style, function.. just all of it so clever and inspiring! Absolutely adored this house tour—thank you AD for bringing us this masterpiece!”

“Love these guys... they need to 'present' some show. They represent all the lovable qualities of being welcoming, confident, and humorous. Amazing home.”

“Their chemistry is so infectious.”

May we all get to be our weird and wonderful selves with someone who loves us exactly as we are.

Community

Hunger in affluent communities: How a Silicon Valley food bank is fighting food insecurity

We can all help fight hunger nationwide with one simple shift in the way we grocery shop.

Food insecurity is an issue in communities across the United States.

When people hear “Silicon Valley,” hunger isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, most think “global tech hub” and “wealth.” Named after the silicon used in computer chips, this renowned region is home to nearly 3 million residents and is famous for offering some of the highest salaries in the United States.

Given Silicon Valley’s association with wealth, it’s easy to overlook that not everyone living there is affluent. The high cost of living in the area makes it challenging for those without high-paying jobs to make ends meet. Many residents, including those who work full-time, struggle with basic living expenses.


That’s why Second Harvest of Silicon Valley helps provide food to more than 500,000 people across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent inflation have prevented many families from getting ahead, making the food bank’s role crucial in providing access to nutritious food.

However, the high cost of living in Silicon Valley is also affecting Second Harvest. Despite the evident need in the community, the food bank had to close its largest warehouse in June 2024 due to rising rent costs.

donationsVolunteers help sort food bank donations.Photo credit: Canva

"Every single week, we receive more than 85 tractor-trailer loads of food. All of that food gets handled at our warehouses and goes back into the community," Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho told NBC. "Unfortunately, this is our largest facility that we are closing, so we're having to just figure out how we can have that work get done other places."

To help maintain the flow of food, the Albertsons Companies Foundation Nourishing Neighbors Program and O Organics gave Second Harvest of Silicon Valley a $200,000 grant. And they weren’t the only organization to receive funding. Thirty nonprofits received a total of $30,000 in grants during the O Organics $30K in 30 days campaign this past summer to help ease food insecurity. Hunger is an ongoing issue that requires continuous funding, and initiatives like these help ensure that food reaches those in need.

How can we all help make sure people get the food they need?

There are so many worthy organizations that need support to fight hunger, and there are numerous ways to help, from making direct donations and organizing food drives to volunteering. Enhancing these efforts, O Organics provides an easy way for everyone to contribute consistently by simply changing how we grocery shop.

Every time you choose an O Organics product, you not only provide nutritious food for your own family but also help someone facing food insecurity. Through the “Fight Hunger. Serve Hope” program, O Organics has contributed nearly $14 million over the past two years to reduce food insecurity, enabling 56M meals and counting to help fight hunger in local communities.

O Organics helps fight food insecurity.images.albertsons-media.com

Doesn’t organic food cost more than non-organic?

People often assume that organic food is more expensive, but that’s not always true. Many organic products cost the same or even lower than their non-organic equivalents, especially when comparing private label brands like O Organics to national products.

O Organics has products in every aisle of the store, making it easier than ever to find organic products that suit your family’s needs. Purchasing O Organics products also helps support organic agriculture. Small changes that benefit both the planet and its people can add up, and simply choosing one product instead of another can make a significant difference.

No matter where people face food insecurity, whether in Silicon Valley or communities across the U.S., we can all find ways to help. Learn more about how O Organics is helping fight hunger here and look for the O Organics brand at your local Albertsons Companies grocery store, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, ACME, Shaw’s, Jewel-Osco and Tom Thumb.

A salesman selling a car to a skeptical woman.

It can be intimidating to be approached by a salesperson when making a big purchase, such as a car or an appliance. They can swoop in like sharks, seeing blood in the water and some refuse to leave you alone, even if you say, “I’m just looking.”

TikTok's @RussFlipsWhips is a car salesman who went viral with a video explaining why “I’m just looking” doesn’t work on a car lot and providing more effective phrases you can use instead.

"There's two main reasons, and here's what you should say instead of 'I'm just looking,'" he said in a video with over 345,000 views. “One is, we hear it every single day. So when somebody tells me, ‘I’m just looking,’ I’m so used to hearing that, I almost like brush it off and ignore it because I’m like, ‘That’s what the customer’s supposed to say.’ “Secondly, every car salesman has had a customer say, ‘I’m just looking,’ and we ended up selling them a car."



Instead, Russell suggests you say: "Hey, I’d really like to look alone. Can I please have your business card?" or “I’m really not in the market for a car.”


@russflipswhips

Replying to @SoyPablo This is what I would say #carsales #carsalesman #cardealership #carbuyingtips

The post received funny responses from folks who may not qualify for a loan. “The ‘I have 2 repos and no money down' line works wonders,’” one TikToker joked. “I just tell them my credit score and they run,” another added.

In the end, Russell’s suggestions show that sometimes, the best way to get our point across is to be direct and honest. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to shop alone and if the salesperson can respect that request, they deserve the sale if you decide to buy something.


This article originally appeared on 7.16.24

Friendship

Woman accidentally creates massive women's walking group by trying to avoid going to bars

"I didn't want to go to happy hours, eat and spend money all the time."

Woman accidentally creates massive women's walking group

Saving money seems to be on the top of everyone's to-do list nowadays. Whether it's because you're trying to save up for something or you're trying to get to the next paycheck with a little something still in your bank account, cutting spending is on the top of the list for many. There's also the reality that meeting new friends is difficult if you're not willing to go out and spend a little money to go where adults go to hang out.

Going to bars, out to eat or participating in activities like pickleball requires some sort of investment that can add up. This is exactly what prompted Jas, who goes by Ms. Juicyy on TikTok, to put out a public call to see if any women would like to go walking with her one evening. It was an innocent request for a little companionship while she got in a few steps and avoided spending unnecessary money.


"If you live in Vegas and you're a girl, and if you're free on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights, you should come with us. We do this thing called 'hot girl walk.' We literally just walk for about an hour and by the time you look it's been already 3 miles. I started this because i didn't want to go to happy hours, eat, and spend money all the time. I love doing those things but every now and then it's cool to just be active," Jas explains in a video promoting her accidental walking club.

a group of people running down a dirt road Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

The woman put out her first call for women to walk with in August 2024 and two other women showed up. By the next time the three went walking, three other women came along. The group continues to grow and now it appears to be hundreds of women walking, chatting and making new friends.

People are bringing baby strollers, pets, and evidently a friend or two when they come out to the walks. Jas shares in a recent video posted to her TikTok a seemingly unending line of women walking along a sidewalk in the dark with her caption saying, "i guess it’s safe to say we’re a walking club now 😍 thank you so much for coming! It made my whole week to meet you guys!!"


Women in the comments of the video showing the massive turn out can't seem to get enough of what the woman created just by trying to find something else to do that didn't involve spending money.

One woman writes, "That’s the only way I’d feel safe walking anywhere."

Someone else chimes in, "I just moved and have been struggling to meet people and also get outside because I work from home I'm so glad this came up on my fyp!!!"

Another person shares their excitement, saying, "OMG I love this. safety in numbers."

"I love seeing the strollers too," one person cries.

Many people that live locally were asking for details, pretty soon the weekly walk is going to turn into a group large enough to look like a parade. But it seems as if there will be no shortage of women connecting and meeting new friends. If you're in the Vegas area, you can follow her Hot Girls Walk on Instagram.

“What they want is dishonest harmony rather than honest conflict.”

There are certainly many things the Boomer parents generally did right when raising their kids. Teaching them the importance of manners and respect. That actions do, in fact, have consequences. That a little manners go a long way…all of these things are truly good values to instill in kids.

But—and we are speaking in broad strokes here—being able to openly discuss difficult feelings was not one of the skills passed down by this generation. And many Gen X and millennial kids can sadly attest to this.

This is why the term “dishonest harmony” is giving many folks of this age group some relief. They finally have a term to describe the lack of emotional validation they needed throughout childhood for the sake of saving face.


In a video posted to TikTok, a woman named Angela Baker begins by saying, “Fellow Gen X and millennials, let's talk about our parents and their need for dishonest harmony.”

Barker, who thankfully did not experience this phenomenon growing up, but says her husband “certainly” did, shared that when she’s tried to discuss this topic, the typical response she’d get from Boomers would be to “Stop talking about it. We don't need to hear about it. Move on. Be quiet.”

And it’s this attitude that’s at the core of dishonest harmony.

“What that’s showing is their lack of ability to handle the distress that they feel when we talk openly about uncomfortable things,” she says. “What they want is dishonest harmony rather than honest conflict.”



“Keep quiet about these hard issues. Suppress your pain, suppress your trauma. Definitely don't talk openly about it so that you can learn to heal and break the cycle,” she continues. “What matters most is that we have the appearance of harmony, even if there's nothing harmonious under the surface.”

Barker concludes by theorizing that it was this need to promote a certain facade that created most of the toxic parenting choices of that time period.

“The desire of boomer parents to have this perception that everything was sweet and hunky dory, rather than prioritizing the needs of their kids, is what drove a lot of the toxic parenting we experienced.”

Barker’s video made others feel so seen, as clearly indicated by the comments.

“How did I not hear about dishonest harmony until now? This describes my family dynamic to a T. And if you disrespect that illusion, you are automatically labeled as the problem. It’s frustrating,” one person wrote.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm a 49 yo biker sitting in my bedroom crying right now. You just put a name to my darkness!” added another

Many shared how they were refusing to repeat the cycle.

One wrote, “This is EXACTLY my family dynamic. I’m the problem because I won’t remain quiet. Not anymore. Not again.”

“I love when my kids tell me what I did wrong. It gives me a chance to acknowledge and apologize. Everyone wants to be heard,” said another.

Of course, no parenting style is perfect. And all parents are working with the current ideals of the time, their own inner programming and their inherent need to course correct child raising problems of the previous generation. Gen Alpha parents will probably cringe at certain parenting styles currently considered in vogue. It’s all part of the process.

But hopefully one thing we have learned as a collective is that true change happens when we summon the courage to have difficult conversations.


This article originally appeared on 7.16.24

Family

Viral bikewear ad powerfully captures every parent's fear of teenage phone addiction

“As a parent, this had me locked in and feeling 10,000 things.”

@sirokocom/TikTok

This is every parent's nightmare.

An ad meant to intrigue customers to cycling equipment is also striking a chord in phone-weary parents worldwide.

Back in September, Spain-based sportswear brand Siroko released an ad onto TikTok with the caption, “How much life is consumed by your phone?

The ad has since racked up over 19 million views, with so many parents commiserating over how “powerful” it is.


In the clip (shot “POV” style) we see a young, probably tween age girl receiving presumably her first phone as a Christmas gift. What begins as innocent excitement slowly unravels into a complete loss of spirit as she becomes far too attached to her device—texting from bed, eating while scrolling, being distracted at school, all those very, very common scenarios parents find their kids in.

There’s also a brief moment when she clearly stumbles upon content that’s far too mature for young eyes, as indicated by not so subtle moaning sounds and her look of utter shock. Another seriously real issue parents face.

Finally we see her phone getting taken away, and she becomes hysterical. Luckily, the video ends on a hopeful note—the girl sees her long forgotten bikes sitting in the garage. She decides to ride it again, and returns to her face.


@sirokocom How much life is consumed by your phone? #sport #mentalhealth ♬ sonido original - Siroko

For parents navigating childhoods that look so drastically different from their own, this ad really hit home. One person even said it belonged in the Superbowl.

Here’s what others had to say:

“Omg this ad made me cry. I have a 6 year old and I am terrified at what the future looks like with a digital device in her life.”

“As a parent, this had me locked in and feeling 10,000 things.”

“Childhood is worth protecting!”

“Our sweet children deserve better than this!”

“So powerful.”

This video not only touches on the fears that so many parents have regarding phones, but also a secret hope burning in their hearts—that maybe even in this modern, tech driven world which forces kids to grow up too fast, their child’s pure, innocent, fleeting joy is still only one bike ride away. That they might still enjoy life in the real world before things become complicated.

Still, solving this problem is complicated, with one huge factor being that there’s little consensus or regulation set in place when it comes to setting phone boundaries. That’s why many parents are calling for more widespread collective solutions, like the Wait til 8th movement, which aims to establish 8th grade as the official youngest age for receiving a phone. But even individual families who have taken their kid’s phones away have noticed vast improvement to their overall well being, which is promising.

Bottom line: this is a scary problem, and one that should be taken seriously. But not an insurmountable one. Can it be solved with a bike? Maybe not. Or maybe it’s the exact solution we need right now.

Community

Frugal people share 13 silly money-saving tips that actually work.

Warning: These may involve some light stealing from work.

Unsplash

Most adults take a look at their lives somewhat frequently to try to figure out where they can save money. It might be cutting one of the streaming services we're not using or trying to dial back the Starbucks PSLs. However, the people on the subreddit r/frugal, take saving money to a whole new level.

A recent thread posted by u/Jskyesthelimit was chock full of solid gold advice for anyone looking to trim the budget but who doesn't want to put in a lot of work.


(Yeah, yeah — we all know meal-prepping is effective, but who's got the time? We're looking for easy wins, here.)

The prompt, "What's the little effortless, stupid thing you do that TECHNICALLY saves you money?", got some responses and tips you've probably never thought of.

They're small, they're silly — but they do add up.

1. Spend more time outside

"if i go outside and play all day, i don't have consumerist urges to buy stupid shit." - looney417

Can't spend money if you don't go into a store!

It's a good idea to get away from your phone or laptop for a while, too. If you're not careful, you can buy a hundred dollars worth of junk on Amazon before you even realize what's happening.

2. Time your dishwasher runs

"When our dishwasher is full and ready to be started, I set an alarm on my watch for 9pm. I start the dishwasher when the alarm goes off since the electricity rate goes down after 9pm." - misterfuss

A half loaded dishwasherNathan Dumloa/Unsplash

Did you know that electricity costs more during "peak hours"? Where I live, power can cost up to 4x as much from 2-7pm versus off-peak hours.

Most people run the dishwasher at night anyway, but you should look up your own local peak hours. Starting the nightly load at 9 instead of 8 every night could actually save you a couple of bucks a month.

3. Fill a large water bottle at work before you leave

u/MrPerfectionisback swears by this one.

Getting a gigantic, high-quality water bottle could be a great investment if you're able to top it off at the office every day and bring your water bill down a smidge.

4. Use less laundry detergent

Most of us approach laundry detergent with a "fill 'er up" attitude. But, usually, you can get away with even just one tablespoon if your clothes aren't that dirty. and using less will help your clothes last longer.

u/jbblue48089 also recommends using solid bar shampoo and dish soap, which have a longer lifespan than liquid soaps.

5. Re-wear clothes (other than socks and underwear)

Another option from u/ztreHdrahciR — don't wash your clothes at all! At least not right away.

Chances are you can get a few wears out of jeans or even t-shirts and save on laundry costs, to the tune of a few dollars per year.

6. Make your own doggie poo bags

"Use used food bags to pick up the dogs poop." - bezere

Poop bags are expensive! You could easily spend $20-50 per year depending on what brand you use.

Next time you pack a sandwich for lunch, save that plastic baggie and use it for pick-up duty later on.

7. Charge your phone at work (or wherever there's an outlet)

A good one from u/runmemymo.

Never pass up a chance for free electric!

If you don't work in an office, just carry your phone charger with you. Lots of restaurants and even public spaces have outlets so you can get a little free juice.

8. Poo at work (or wherever there's a bathroom)

u/larkfor says they save a ton of money each year on water and toilet paper by doing their business at work or the office.

Never pass up a chance for free water and toilet paper!

9. Cut sponges in half

yellow soapy spongePille R. Priske/Unsplash

u/plaincheeseburger recommends turning one sponge into two.

It will still work exactly the same and last twice as long.

10. Repair old dog toys

I love this one from u/pdxarchitecht!

My dogs love immediately ripping the stuffing out of new toys, which doesn't feel like a great value for my money.

The hack? Put the stuffing back in and add a stitch or two to close it up and save yourself $10 or more.

11. Twist the stems off of peppers if paying by weight

This ingenious and petty tip comes from u/casterix75.

Not all supermarkets charge by weight for bell peppers (or similar produce), but if they do, why pay for the stem? Twist it off and save yourself a few cents at the checkout.

12. Save the cold water when running a shower or bath

An old science teacher taught me this one in high school, recommended in this thread by u/smartquokka.

Put a bucket in the shower or bath to collect the cold water while it's heating up. Use that to water plants, fill the dog bowls, or flush the toilet.

13. Unplug everything at night

hands holding a plugKelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Many people recommended this — it's an r/frugal staple.

Appliances on standby still use power, so unplug as many things as possible before going to bed. u/Larkfor estimates this saves them $10 a month or so on power.

These tips are so small they're almost microscopic, but you know what? Most of them are so easy you'd barely notice a difference in your lifestyle and routine. And all together, you could save yourself a decent chunk of money every year by making a few simple changes.

Thanks to the thrifty people of Reddit for sharing their hacks with the rest of us!