“In commemoration of the miracle, we light a menorah (or a candelabrum) with nine branches,” says Rabbi Willie Balk, an academic advisor for students at Yeshiva University. “We began with two candles and add an additional candle from left to right for each night of the holiday.” To find the best menorahs, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind each pick’s dimensions, materials, and lighting method. We also consulted Rabbi Balk for additional insight....
“Burglars won’t find your home an easy target with proper security features, such as motion sensor lights,” says Courtney Klosterman, consumer insights expert with home care and insurance group Hippo. “These lights help add an extra layer of protection to the important entry points of the home.” To find the best outdoor motion sensor lights for your space, we researched a variety of picks, keeping in mind each pick’s detection range, light bean detection angle, power source, and lumens....
To find the best outdoor mounted solar lights, we sent 19 models to our real world testers, who installed the lights and evaluated them over two weeks. Testers took note of qualities such as ease of setup, brightness, bonus features (like smart capabilities and motion sensing), and more. For expert advice, we spoke to Amber Freda, a garden and landscape designer, and Sheva Knopfler, co-founder and creative director of Lights....
We tested 28 of the best patio umbrellas in our Lab, evaluating them on design, effectiveness, protection, durability, and overall value. We also received expert tips from Jana Bryan, landscape design expert at Home Outside, an online landscape design service. “Consider the outdoor elements and find materials that will last,” suggests Bryan. “High-quality aluminum frames and fade-proof fabrics with UV protection are the most durable.” Our top pick, the Safavieh Athens Inside Out Crank Outdoor Umbrella has a unique double-sided fabric with a nautical design and provides substantial protection from the sun and other elements....
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It’s fun to get creative with gift giving by presenting teachers with something more personalized to their tastes—that way, they’ll know how much you appreciate their incredibly hard work and commitment. If you’re choosing a gift for your kid’s teacher, let your child get involved. They’ll have some good ideas about what their teacher likes—and they can add a sentimental touch to the teacher’s gift by creating a personalized thank-you note or drawing....
If you time it right, however, you can snag a deal and the perfect oven or dishwasher that fits your space and your budget. These experts have some tips on how you can save money by shopping during the best time of year to buy appliances. Then, armed with that information, Schwartz says you can time your purchase around a major sale, getting the best deal on a replacement instead of rushing around to buy something at full-price the day your dryer dies....
If you’re splurging on a few new spooky accessories this year, be sure to brush up on the latest trends before you head to the store. To help inspire your holiday decorating, we’ve rounded up the hottest Halloween decor trends of this season. Of course, you don’t need to go out and buy a whole new set of decor—it’s just as easy to recreate these trends with items you have at home....
Now, you can skip some of the hassle and expense with peel-and-stick, self-adhesive tiles. This DIY-friendly alternative is easy to install with zero drying time (just peel off the adhesive backing and stick!). Even better, it comes at a fraction of the cost of traditional options like ceramic or porcelain. Here are some of our favorite peel-and-stick tile options to add instant style to your floors, each one coming in at less than $80 for 40 square feet....
“With so much happening in the world today—often uncertain and stressful—I predict we’re going to see a shift towards balance, calm, and simplicity in terms of home design,” says Kathy Kuo, interior designer and founder of Kathy Kuo Home. Ahead, designers forecast the top 2023 decorating trends. 1. Eco-Conscious Homes In 2023, Kuo says consumers will design spaces that “feel in harmony with the natural world” while still being “super-chic and upscale....
So how do you know when to buy a new pillow? “A pillow should be replaced if you fold it in half and it doesn’t bounce back to its original flat shape,” explains Cohen. Related Video
Plants for Creating the Hot-Summer Garden Plan 9 Scarlet sage (Salvia splendens): Annual 2 Tall bearded iris (Iris spp.): Zones 3-9 2 ‘Tropicanna’ canna: Zones 8-11 4 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): Zones 3-7 6 Melampodium paludosum: Annual 7 Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus): Zones 9-11 9 Zinnia spp.: Annual 3 Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’): Zones 4-9 If you aren’t able to find the exact cultivars listed above, substitute with others that have similar colors, shapes, and sizes....
To carve: Carve a circle in your pumpkin’s underside, and clear out all the seeds and messy bits. Scrape the pumpkin’s interior walls clean with a stiff metal spoon. Print out the free owl pattern, and tape the page containing the owl’s facial features and feather outlines to the surface of your pumpkin. Use a push pin to make closely spaced holes along the face and feather lines, transferring the features to your pumpkin....
“Our previous home was French country and full of warmth, color, and softer forms,” Cristie says. “That was when we had kids in the house with kid things. Since we were moving toward another stage that was just going to be the two of us, we wanted a transitional look that can go one way or the other.” Santa relies on his elves to bring Christmas to its peak. Mike and Cristie had their own helpers to help execute their vision: builder Patrick J....
At What Temperature Is Turkey Done? Regardless of the size of your turkey, it’s safe to eat once the its internal temperature reaches 165°F, which you can gauge using a meat thermometer. When roasting turkey, here are the temperatures to follow: Whole turkey: On your meat thermometer, a whole cooked turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F in the breast, and 175°F in the thigh.Whole turkey, stuffed: The center of the stuffing must reach 165°F....
With wallpaper borders on the verge of returning to mass popularity, a new wallpaper border collaboration between Lick, a paint and wallpaper company, and designer Kelly Hoppen is ahead of the trend. Available as of November 7, this collection (Lick’s first-ever line of wallpaper borders) is a gorgeous reimagining of what the modern wallpaper border could be. “Our collaboration with Kelly Hoppen provides a modern, fun twist on wallpaper borders, which are seen by some as a more traditional design element,” says Tash Bradley, the head of interior design at Lick....
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Enter friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv). It literally means “free air life,” and the concept is part of Norwegian culture. You’ll find nearly a million Instagram posts tagged with #friluftsliv full of forests, gorgeous landscapes, and people hiking, canoeing, camping, and otherwise exploring the great outdoors. The idea behind friluftsliv (and friluftsliving) is to be out in the fresh air to commune with nature, even when the weather’s not great. As the days grow colder and shorter, our activity options usually grow narrower....
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What Is Vitamin K? Vitamin K is the collective name of a family of compounds. “There are different categories within vitamin K,” says Rayanne Nguyen, RD, a specialist in sports nutrition. “You have vitamin K1, which is found in dark leafy greens and soybean oil and also vitamin K2 and some others, which can be found in smaller amounts in animal products.” Fermented foods also contain vitamin K2. How to Improve Absorption As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin K from food is best absorbed when there’s fat or oil in the same environment....
