Home & Lifestyle Events

July 4 is rapidly approaching, and Americans across Orange County are looking for ways to celebrate the country’s 248th birthday.

If you’re in need of a fun destination this Independence Day, look no further than these four free spots to celebrate freedom on the Fourth.

Whether you want to stay close to home, get away for an extended weekend or simply save yourself the stress of planning your own party, there are plenty of destinations ready-made to pack your day with exciting activities, so you don’t even have to bring your own sparklers!

City of Fullerton’s July 4th Celebration

If you just want something close to home, walk over to the Fullerton Downtown Plaza for the city’s July 4th Celebration.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a classic car show. Following the car show, at 2 p.m., there will be a carnival in the plaza, complete with games, rides, food, vendors and live music, including a headlining concert by the Scotty Mac Band at 6 p.m.

The OC Mustang Club will also be present from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to display around 40-50 Mustangs. Finally, the event will conclude with a fireworks show at 9 p.m.

Admission to the celebration is free.

City of Brea’s 44th Annual Country Fair

If you want a small change of scenery this holiday, visit Brea’s City Hall Park for their Annual Country Fair.

This event starts bright and early at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast provided by the Kiwanis Club in Brea. Afterwards, the park will be home to food, game and handmade product vendor booths hosted by various Brea-based nonprofit organizations.

The fair also promises live entertainment, a car show at 9 a.m., a dog parade called the Most Beautiful Bow Wow at 10:15 a.m., a kiddie parade at 10:45 a.m. and a patriotic baby contest. There will also be opportunities to go swimming at the city’s public swimming pool, the Plunge, starting at 12 p.m.

Admission to the Country Fair, as well as the Plunge, is free.

4th of July Street Faire & Fireworks Spectacular

If you want to keep the fun going after the Brea County Fair is done, drive to Mission Viejo for the annual Street Faire and Fireworks Spectacular on Olympiad Road starting at noon.

Much like the other celebrations, the Street Faire will host live entertainment on two stages, games, rides, food trucks and over 30 craft vendors. In addition, a complimentary shuttle service will take riders to 12 different locations around Lake Mission Viejo starting at 1 p.m. The fireworks will go off at 9 p.m. and bring the event to a stunning close.

Admission to the Street Faire is free. The event will not permit attendees to bring pets, skateboards or rollerblades, bikes or barbecue grills.

Old Glory Boat Parade

If you’re willing to drive a greater distance for Fourth of July fun, head to Newport Beach Harbor for the annual Old Glory Boat Parade. 

Held since the 1950s and hosted this year by the American Legion Yacht Club, parade-goers are encouraged to dress up their boats in accordance with the theme of “Stars, Stripes and Sails.” Beginning at 1 p.m., the parade will leave from Lido Island and sail around the harbor for two and a half hours.

Boaters who participate in the parade will automatically be up for awards like Most Creative and Best Decorated, all to be given out at an award ceremony on July 16. 

Registration for boaters is free online at the American Legion Yacht Club’s website, and spectating the parade is also free.

More than 100 businesses return to Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre this weekend for the annual Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show.

The show will present a diverse range of exhibitors, featuring the latest in kitchens, flooring, furniture, heating solutions, outdoor living, landscaping and gardening, homewares and appliances from Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7.

Leading New Zealand property platform OneRoof is back on board as a presenting partner and, in an exciting collaboration with OneRoof and The Hits radio station, attendees of this year’s show will have the chance to have one of their household bills paid by entering the competition during the event.

Event director at NZME Events, Aingie Miller, said the show offered a fantastic opportunity to look at new house designs, get quotes, ask questions of the experts, feel fabrics, compare prices, take home samples, be inspired by new ideas, or simply shop for the home.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

As shoppers opened their wallets for Amazon Prime Day, other retailers piggy-backed off the e-tailer’s shopping holiday with their own rival deals. And while Amazon‘s sale may technically be over, many of its competitors’ sales are still live.

Shoppers who are upgrading their outdoor spaces, restocking their summer wardrobes or getting stocked up on makeup and skincare essentials have plenty of ways to save this season. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is in full swing through August 4 with steep savings across every category, from clothing and beauty to luggage and travel.

Looking for a home refresh? Wayfair is hosting a surprise 72-Hour Clearout through July 18. The site is offering up to 60 percent off across all categories: indoor and outdoor furniture, bedding, home accessories, cookware, major appliances and more.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best Amazon Prime Day competing sales that are still happening now. From beauty deals at Charlotte Tilbury to fashion steals at Neiman Marcus and Saks, see our top picks below.

The Best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days Alternative Sales at Major Retailers and Brands

Bed Bath & Beyond Shop the 72-Hour Flash Sale for 70% off thousands of items

Best Buy Through Wednesday August 4, shop the Outlet Event for up to 50% off clearance, open-box and refurbished items

Apple Geek Squad Certified Refurbished MacBook Air 13.3″ Laptop

Bloomingdale’s Save 60-75% on thousands of items through July 23

The Home Depot Take up to 30% off select appliances and up to 60% off patio furniture

Kohl’s Through July 21, cardholders take an extra 30% off with code SAVE30 and non-cardholders take an extra 20% off with code 20SAVE

Lowe’s Shop the Closeout Event for up to 60% off over 10,000 items through August 7

Macy’s Enjoy up to 70% off home and women’s clearance and up to 50% off designer handbags

Neiman Marcus Shop the Gift Card Event and use code JULYGC to get a $50 gift card with your $200 purchase, $125 gift card with a $500 purchase, $250 gift card with a $1,000 purchase and $500 gift card with a $2,000 purchase

Nordstrom During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale through August 4, save on contemporary and luxury designers, beauty exclusives, home goods, travel gear and more

On Cloudmonster Running Shoe

Dior Diorshow Glow Makeup Set

Petco Shop the Ruff & Mews Sale for up to 40% off sitewide

Saks Fifth Avenue Through Sunday, July 21, spend $400 and get $100, Spend $800 and get $200 and spend $1,200 and get $300 with code JULYGETSF; plus, shop the Designer Sale for up to 70% off clothing, beauty, bags, shoes and accessories

Mansur Gavriel Champagne Bucket Bag

Target Save up to $100 on Apple devices and up to 25% on thousands of kitchen and dining items

Total Wine & More Through the end of the month, save big on hundreds of bottles of wines and spirits; plus, through August 4, shop the Digital Coupon Event to get an additional 15% off when you purchase 8+ bottles of Winery Direct wine

D’Autrefois Reserve Pinot Noir

Mix six bottles for $12.59 each.

Walmart Take up to 70% off thousands of home, tech, fashion, toys, school supplies and travel gear

Wayfair Shop the 72-Hour Clearance through July 18 for up to 60% off furniture, decor, kitchenware, appliances and household essentials; check out our top 15 picks from the sale here

QVC Shop the Black Friday in July savings event through July 25; plus, new customers get $30 off $60 orders with code HELLO30 and customers get $10 off their second purchase of $25 or more with code HELLO10

More of the Best Amazon Prime Day Rival Sales

Beachwaver Co. Shop the brand’s biggest sale ever for up to 90% off viral best-sellers through July 18

Charlotte Tilbury Now through July 23, save up to 40 percent on the celebrity-loved makeup artist’s bestselling Magic Water Cream, Pillow Talk lip sets and more; check out our top sale picks here

Coach Take up to 50% off bags, shoes, clothing and accessories; check out our top Coach sale picks here

Coach Tabby Shoulder Bag 26 With Quilting

Everlane Enjoy up to 70% off new markdowns for men and women

Fabfitfun Use code FREEGIFT300 for a free gift ($300+ value) and get access to shop this season’s biggest sale with discounts up to 75% off

Fenty Beauty Take up to 50% off select makeup and skin care

Fwrd Save up to 60% on designer labels such as Chloe, Balenciaga, Manolo Blahnik, Zimmerman and Valentino

Madewell Take an extra 50% off denim with code COOLDOWN

My Sheets Rock Enjoy 15% off temperature-regulating sheets and bedding with code HEATWAVE24

Net-a-Porter Enjoy up to 60% off clothing, footwear and accessories from JW Anderson, Helmut Lang, Staud, Self-Portrait, Gianvito Rossi, Stuart Weitzman and more luxury designers

Nike For a limited time, take an extra 25% off select styles with code SPORT25

Old Navy Get 50% off everything (online only) during the Cyber Summer Sale through Thursday, July 18

Parachute Extended through July 21, shop Parachute’s Warehouse Sale for up to 70% with an extra 20% off sale items; shop our top sale picks here

Priceline Take advantage of Rental Car Week through July 21 for up to 20% off rental cards with code RCWEEK

Sephora Take up to 50% off makeup, skin care, hair care and fragrance

Rose Inc Softlight Skin-Smoothing Hydrating Non-Comedogenic Foundation

Skims Shop Skims’ Bi-Annual for up to 50% off hundreds of styles during the brand’s biggest sale ever; check out our top sale picks here

Ulta Through July 21, shop the Back To School Glow Up event: Diamond Members get 20% off with code GLOWUP20, Platinum Members get 15% off with code GLOWUP15 and all members get 10% off with code GLOWUP10

The following description comes from the event organizer.

Join Jacob Chavez, Owner of J-Chavez Design Build, for an exclusive journey blending preservation and luxury. Delve into the secrets of insulating historic homes, where comfort and efficiency meet timeless craftsmanship. Explore the transformative impact of proper insulation techniques and learn to maintain the character of these treasures. Then, enjoy a look into the art of high design remodeling. From custom kitchens to highly crafted bathrooms, discover sophisticated home design and remodeling.

Jacob, an architect trained home designer and building scientist, will unveil the meticulous methods behind crafting beautiful, thoughtful spaces while ensuring functionality, comfort, and durability. Join us for insights into elevating both comfort and aesthetics while preserving the unique character of homes.

When it came time to name their new company, Alison Rou and Sarah Tallman looked to the citrus family.

It became an obvious choice considering their respective histories. Rou, a power publicist who specialized in representing showrunners and producers, hails from a line of citrus growers and has a home surrounded by orange groves in Ojai, California. Tallman, a veteran of the beauty space with tenures at Estee Lauder and Saie, went to school in Florida and once ran a store in New York City called Grove.

Cara Cara LA was born in November 2023, launched with a focus on gift sets and sustainable dried flowers. With Rou’s industry experience, Hollywood came calling and they were off and running with talent gifting and local pop-ups. Now the rest of the world can get in on the action as the pair expanded their business in late June with a new launch called Casa Cara, a direct-to-consumer lifestyle and home goods business with a similar bent towards ethically-made, artisan items and products sourced from across the globe and curated with a California eye.

There are Malaika salt and pepper sets in the shape of baby goats from Cairo, Egypt ($55), Alice Ciel/Autumne napkins from Jaipur, India ($36), a handcrafted bowl featuring a black-striped ray pattern from Portugal ($75), hand-poured candles from L.A. ($45), a tie-dyed kimono robe designed in Paris and handmade in Africa ($195), Frazada beach blankets from Ecuador ($75), and much more including gift sets and, of course, more dried floral arrangements.

Rou and Tallman displayed their wares on Thursday night on the patio at Cookbook Market & Café on Larchmont Avenue, site of an invite-only launch party that hosted a slew of entertainment industry insiders and onetime Rou clients. During the breezy summer bash, the pair shared their vision with The Hollywood Reporter like only a pair of close-knit business partners can do: by completing each other’s sentences.

“It was about doing something that felt joyful,” said Rou. “Something that brings us joy but also brings joy to other people.” It’s an exercise, Tallman continued, that comes from “a shared passion for gifting, which is a really funny passion to have but it’s true.” Added Rou: “It makes us happy and sparks that light inside. There’s something so wonderful when you deliver a gift to somebody and it means something to them and makes them happy.”

Another source of happiness: A portion of Casa Cara’s proceeds are being donated to Environmental Charter Schools, an organization reimagining education for underserved communities in Los Angeles. 

Rou leaned on the word joy to describe this surprise second chapter in her career. Rou was well known in Hollywood circles for having represented a stable of high-profile creatives and consulting with Hulu on showrunner press strategy. Her client list included Bruce Miller (The Handmaid’s Tale), Tony McNamara (The Great), Tanya Saracho (Vida), Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy), Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries), Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), Kerry Ehrin (The Morning Show) and Scott Neustadter (Daisy Jones and the Six), among others.

While she found new rep homes for her list, Rou held on to one beloved client ­— her wife, Liz Tigelaar (Little Fires Everywhere, Tiny Beautiful Things). Fun fact: Tallman is also married to a high-profile woman named Liz as in Liz Parker, who is managing partner at Verve Talent & Literary Agency.

“I spent my career really promoting other people’s endeavors, happily, but it’s nice to be able to create something, especially with someone who really knows what they’re doing. Sarah’s got such a creative eye,” Rou noted. “I love that we get to tap into her product development expertise because she’s got great contacts and knows how to source from around the world. When things are falling apart, she also keeps a very cool head, she doesn’t freak out, and she can go in and sort it all out.”

Tallman returned the compliment by describing how their style complement one another. “We split the work by doing what comes naturally to both of us,” she said. “She knows how to run things through a PR filter and her superpower is how she interacts with people. Anytime there’s a sensitive email to send or communication that needs to get out — whether that be a phone call or text — she knows how to make that connection with people. She knows human relations in a way that’s very specific and very rare. Not a lot of people have it.”

As far as what Casa Cara will have in the future, Rou and Tallman are bullish on expansion plans. “We love the idea of continuing in the gifting space while also continuing to grow in a little more of the self-care and wellness space with items for the bath and body,” continued Rou, who seems energized with an exciting new challenge that taps into a different part of her skill set. “I don’t miss the crises,” she says with a smile. “But I miss the people. I loved working with them though now I just get to be their friends. We are busy in our own way now, with a different kind of work. I really am loving this, it’s a lot of fun.”

On a breezy Saturday evening in South L.A., the sounds of heavy kick drums and electric claps trail down the block from a tan, two-story house with a well-manicured lawn. Through the large front window, passersby can catch a glimpse of a DJ in a dimly lighted living room, meticulously turning knobs on a mixer and blending house records together. In the dining room, about 15 people dance and socialize under a crystal chandelier. Dark liquor flows into red cups. A man sits between a woman’s legs as she braids his hair into cornrows, while another guest taps a tambourine to the beat of the music.

From a distance, this scene may look like a typical house party, which is exactly the allure of “Black House Radio,” a YouTube show and L.A. event series spotlighting Black DJs who specialize in house music. Throughout the gathering, no one pays much attention to the cameras recording, and for the hundreds of thousands of viewers at home, watching the videos feels like you’ve been ushered into a high energy kickback.

Winston jams out at Black House Radio.

At a time when DJs are showcasing their skills in creative ways and in sometimes unexpected settings — at parks, on elevators, at the beach, inside loft apartments, in the subway and at laundromats — “Black House Radio” stands out because of its familial charm and devotion to the genre it highlights.

“I want ‘Black House Radio’ to feel like a warm, nostalgic hug from a grandmother,” says founder Michael Donte, who’s also a filmmaker, producer and DJ. He hosts the intimate gathering roughly once a month at his best friend Jeremy’s ancestral house, which his late grandparents bought in 1963 after moving to L.A. from Millport, Ala., during the Second Great Migration. Everything in the home, including a blue-patterned couch, teal-colored carpet, vintage drapes and framed family photos, is in the same place it’s been since the 1970s.

“Black house music was made in our homes,” says Donte. He adds that he felt frustrated when he would go out and see more white DJs getting booked to play house music than Black performers, who created and popularized the genre in the 1970s. Aside from at select events like newcomer TheyHouse and Utopia, which have been elevating house music in L.A. for years. “[A white DJ is] very different than a Black person playing house music — it’s just a feeling.”

“I think my friends and I do a good job of making it a safe space for people to show up as themselves, and that’s just beautiful to watch,” says founder Michael Donte.

Family photos displayed on the wall.

After getting laid off last year from his job as a creative executive for YouTube Originals, Donte learned how to DJ, and then launched “Black House Radio” to bring the genre back home, literally, by hosting events in spaces that are vital to the Black community, such as family homes, hair salons, barber shops and churches.

Donte hosted the first “Black House Radio” event the day before Thanksgiving in 2023 and served collard greens and cornbread. About a dozen of his friends showed up with their own soul food dishes, while he and three other L.A.-based DJs — Naygod, Silhouwet, DJ Bodii — provided the soundtrack for the hours-long event.

DJ Terrell Brooke and DJ Chinua embrace each other.

Then, in February, during Black History Month, Donte began posting live sets from that November day on YouTube, where he’s since acquired more than 50,000 subscribers and has built a community of loyal house heads who look forward to every drop. The most watched video so far is a set by Ashley Younniä, which had nearly 425,000 views on YouTube as of late June.

Some of L.A.’s most exciting DJs have been past guests, including Terrell Brooke (founder of TheyHouse and co-creator of Casual, Mez (who runs an event called Signal Underground), Rush Davis (a singer, producer, creative director and DJ) and Chrysalis (who toured with singer Rochelle Jordan).

Shaun Ross immediately knew he wanted to be a part of “Black House Radio” when one of his friends shared its Instagram page with him.

“I feel like it’s a train to get on — to actually bring back Black house music,” says Ross, a celebrated model, DJ and recording artist. He’s performed at two “Black House Radio” functions so far. “A lot of DJs don’t really play Black house music, and I feel like today, the world has this wrong notion of what house music is so when you play it, people are like, ‘It’s not hype enough. It’s not giving me a Vegas show.’”

Ross says the YouTube show also gives younger generations the opportunity to go back and look at people who are uplifting house music today. “I love that it’s Black and queer, and I love that it’s healing for everybody here,” adds Ross, who hosts a house music party called “Stardust.”

Michael Donte keeps the house as it is for each of the “Black House Radio” recordings.

“Black House” attendees socialize in the kitchen over slices of pizza and homemade pound cake.

Back at the party, Vaughan Higgins pours herself a drink in the kitchen as other attendees grab slices of pizza and homemade pound cake. Higgins regularly goes to Black and queer events in L.A. but says being inside a Black ancestral house carries an extra layer of significance for her.

“It mainly makes me think of resistance and survival,” says the L.A.-born musician, who decided to attend because her friend DJ Nico was spinning. “The fact that this house is even still in Black hands and they are using it to bring Black joy — that is all a part of this. It’s really beautiful.”

In many of the YouTube videos, Donte infuses archival footage — some that he’s found online and others that his friends have given him — of Black families dancing at cookouts or participating in praise and worship at church — his way of preserving Black culture, he says.

“That’s one thing I feel like is missing from video streaming,” says Sevyn, who performed a groovy DJ set for ”Black House Radio” in April. “I feel like compared to other streaming things I’ve done, this one just has a story and also, I’ve been here. This is my granny’s house. It’s familiar.”

Although each of “Black House Radio’s” YouTube sets, which typically start in the afternoon and go into the evening, are invite-only due to limited space at the house, Donte has recently started hosting public events so house aficionados can enjoy the experience offline.

Dj Nico, a sound selector visiting from Memphis, Tenn., grins between sips of Auntie’s Coffee cold brew after her set.

The first one, called “Church,” was held in June at the Pico Union Project, a nonprofit housed in a building that was once home to Sinai Temple (built in 1909). Like at the house functions, Donte displayed framed portraits around the space, which had church pews, flameless candles and a piano. (Video cameras were here too, but Donte doesn’t plan to release a video. You just had to be there.) He’s also got his eyes set on doing a Black house music festival in the near future.

When he reflects on the rise of “Black House Radio,” Donte says he thinks people connect with the show because of its authenticity.

“It’s not trying to be unique,” he says. “It’s not trying to be something different or new. I want it to feel familiar. I want you to be able to smell what you see on that TV. You know what that house smells like. You know what the carpet feels like. You know what the food is probably on the stove.”

Shaun Ross at Black House Radio.

(Justin Lawson)

He adds, “I think my friends and I do a good job of making it a safe space for people to show up as themselves, and that’s just beautiful to watch.”

Around 8 p.m., when the last DJ finishes their set, one person shouts, “Keep the party going.” Donte hops back onto the decks and plays upbeat house music. Two guests vogue in the living room, and attendees socialize over more drinks. The cameras are no longer recording, but no one cares or even notices. They are in the company of family. They are at home.

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Emerge Block Party

Get your fill of local North Idaho art at Emerge”s annual Block Party featuring work from over 150 artists. Founded in 2014 by Jeni Hegsted, Emerge has long championed a diverse art scene in Coeur d’Alene, and the Block Party shows off just that. This year attendees can expect film, performances, painters, sculptors and more lining the streets near Emerge’s gallery on Second and Lakeside in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Along with all of the fun activities available to the community, the art show is juried by a panel of professional artists and members of the local art community. Not only is this event highly anticipated by regional art lovers, but it also serves as Emerge’s biggest fundraising event of the year, supporting its mission of bringing low-cost and free arts education to all. Fri, July 12 from 5 pm-midnight, free (paid preview event on Thu, July 11 at 7 pm), Emerge, emergecda.com

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Silver Mountain Brewsfest

There’s nothing better than sunshine, beer and a breathtaking view. Breathe in that mountain air with a brew in your hand and adventure in your heart at this year’s Silver Mountain Brewsfest. This is the perfect opportunity to sample the craft offerings of breweries and cideries from around the Inland Northwest and local favorites only available in select taprooms while enjoying scenic views and live music from The Moops, Robin Barrett & Coyote Kings and Meghan Sullivan. Each attendee receives a ride on Silver Mountain’s scenic gondola, a tasting mug and six drink tickets. Sat, Aug. 10 from 1-6 pm, $44-$65, Silver Mountain Resort, silvermt.com

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Unity in the Community

When I hear people say “Spokane is boring” or “There’s nothing to do here,” I often wonder if they’ve tried stepping out into the community and getting involved first-hand. If you’re guilty of saying these phrases, try attending one of the city’s most beloved annual events, Unity in the Community. The event is all about expanding diversity and cultural awareness to citizens through community building. There, you’ll see vendors, community resources, cultural food, performances and much more. Under the warm light of the summer sun, you might find the community you’ve been searching for. A little joy can go a long way! Sat, Aug. 17 from 10 am-3 pm, free, Riverfront Park, nwunity.org

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Great Outdoors Comedy Festival

I don’t think it’s a reach to call The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival one of the most star-studded events ever to grace a Spokane stage. The three-day comedy festival held at the shiny new ONE Spokane Stadium packs in performances from some of the biggest names in comedy as well as home-grown comics looking to grow their audience. The lineup includes funny guys Kevin Hart and Tom Segura along with Spokane-born-and-raised comedy queen Kelsey Cook. You can also catch comedians Bobby Lee, Jessica Kirson, Shane Gillis, James McCann, Nate Marshall and others. If you’re looking to laugh, look no further. Aug. 23-25, $63-$135, ONE Spokane Stadium, greatoutdoorscomedyfestival.com

With a focus on seamless connectivity across appliances and as well as innovative new products, Samsung is demonstrating the improvements it brings to customers’ lifestyles

Samsung Electronics announced the showcase of its new premium kitchen and lifestyle as part of a continued drive for a connected home life at EuroCucina 2024. The event, held in Milan, is one of the largest international kitchen events and will take place from April 16 to 21 at Rho Fiera Milano. Samsung will use the event to display how connectivity among multiple appliances — as well as the innovative features of new built-in products — will change everyday home life.

“I’m excited to show attendees what we’ve created at EuroCucina, following the ‘Welcome to BESPOKE AI’ global launch event two weeks ago,” said Moohyung Lee, EVP and Head of the Customer Experience Team, Digital Appliances (DA) Business at Samsung Electronics. “We believe that connectivity between appliances will elevate consumers’ lives to a new level. Moreover, we also want customers to find the diverse features of new built-in products helpful to their daily life. I hope visitors at the booth enjoy these new changes Samsung brings to EuroCucina.”

Samsung’s booth at EuroCucina invites visitors to main zones which consist of the Bespoke AI¹ and Premium Built-In Kitchen. Especially at the Premium Built-In Kitchen zone, Samsung plans to unveil three new built-in products which fit European lifestyles and are packed with new innovative features.

The Expansion of Connectivity Across Appliances

The journey at Samsung’s booth starts with the Bespoke AI² zone which demonstrates the expansion of connectivity.³ It includes the experience of connectivity existing not only in the kitchen, but also in the rest of the home, assisting users’ life to be simple and intuitive, less user input required at home.

Samsung highlights the experience enhanced and realized by multiple screens. The AI Family Hub™⁴ and AI Home⁵ — a 7-inch screen built into the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™ and Anyplace Induction — are key components of this. Through the screens, users can get the useful information of the device itself or get a phone call directly on the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™ while doing laundry. But the most important part is that the screens enable the appliances to connect with and control other devices, letting users enjoy heightened convenience through the SmartThings ecosystem.

For example, they feature SmartThings 3D Map View, a three-dimensional perspective of the home that locates connected Samsung appliances throughout the house. It streamlines operations such as turning off connected devices and checking their energy usage.

Various scenarios to the real life are ready at the zone as well. In a specific mode like SmartThings Energy Away mode, SmartThings automatically powers off the chosen, specific appliances and devices when users are out of home. Moreover, it also introduces energy saving solutions based on SmartThings Energy. With Optimal Charging, the robot vacuum cleaner only charges up to 60% during peak hours, while Optimal Scheduling automatically schedules the dishwasher’s cycle during off-peak hours.

The experience makes users do less while living with more possibilities. Through Calm Onboarding, Samsung users’ journey to the SmartThings ecosystem is more fluent from the beginning. When customers purchase the product using their Samsung account, SmartThings traces where the delivery is and automatically connects to it without user input when installed. Supported by Samsung Knox, the connected life experience is secured safely.

Built-In Products Cater to Diverse Lifestyles

In the European market, Samsung has further strengthened its brand position by launching built-in models including refrigerators, dishwashers, induction cooktops and ovens, as well as by introducing innovative features such as AI Pro Cooking. At the Premium Built-In Kitchen zone, Samsung showcases three new products that will assure its brand presence in the built-in market. They feature AI-applied capabilities and upgraded functionality and provide consumers with great flexibility when configuring their built-in kitchens.

First, the Built-in Wide Bottom Mount Freezer (BRB6500D) is the first wide model to appear in Samsung’s built-in refrigerator lineup. Using its Wi-Fi compatibility, users can reduce their energy use by up to 10%⁶ through SmartThings AI Energy Mode.⁷ Users can also monitor their energy usage and estimate monthly energy bills. If these bills exceed their preset targets, the energy saving mode can help users save energy⁸ by changing the compressor speed and the frequency of the defrost cycle. As for keeping food fresh, the Twin Cooling™ system ensures that food stays fresher for longer by changing the temperature and humidity in the refrigerator and freezer using independent evaporators and fans.

The Anyplace Induction, which was shown at the ‘Welcome to BESPOKE AI’ global launch event before, is displayed at the zone. As the name suggests, the Anyplace Induction enables users to cook flexibly anywhere on the cooktop. This flexibility is enabled by the 22 rectangular sheet coils that cover the cooktop extensively. It reduces dead zones and, therefore, makes up a larger cooking surface than a conventional Samsung 4 ring induction cooktop.⁹ Furthermore, Intelligent Pan Detection helps users place the pots and pans where they want. The induction uses 76 sensors to intelligently recognize pots and pans and show their locations on the AI Home display. This allows users to choose cooking areas and set temperatures according to what they are cooking. Beyond these functionalities, the Anyplace Induction also includes features such as Anti-Scratch Glass, which has a superior Mohs hardness rating of 8.¹⁰ With this level of hardness, the surface is less likely to get marked when users move cookware or clean it, making it long-lasting and easy to maintain. The product will be available in Europe from 2H 2024.

Samsung’s new Energy Efficient Dishwasher¹¹ also on display at EuroCucina 2024 is the latest model to bring high energy efficiency to dishwashing. Coming with A/B energy labels,¹² the dishwasher features a WaterJet Clean™ system that provides intensive cleaning from every angle, thereby improving energy efficiency. It operates at a noise level of just 41dB when the Extra Silence program is in use.¹³ Moreover, through SmartThings connectivity, users can save extra energy in real life. SmartThings AI Energy mode¹⁴ proactively monitors power consumption and predicts ongoing usage. Users can turn on the energy saving mode if the monthly electricity bill seems to exceed their target. Then, the dishwasher uses up to 23% less energy with the Pots & Pans program¹⁵ by reducing the temperature of the main wash and hot rinse while extending the cycle time. Lastly, the Kitchen Fit™ Sliding Door¹⁶ ensures that the dishwasher integrates harmoniously into modern kitchens. Thanks to a sliding hinge, the door can be opened fully without having to cut the plinth below, meaning the bottom line of the door seamlessly continues to kitchen cabinet doors.

Quality and Collaboration Now and Into the Future

Samsung is endeavoring to keep the quality of its products and to ensure better outcomes. As such, it has been developing technologies to bring this commitment to product features such as AI Ecobubble™,¹⁷ reducing energy use of washing machines,¹⁸ and the Less Microfiber™ Filter and Cycle, reducing microplastics emissions in the water drained from washing machines.¹⁹

As a part of its continued actions, Samsung showcases its latest efforts to visitors at EuroCucina 2024. In particular, the company focused on collaborations utilizing SmartThings Energy. Samsung has actively participated in projects that aim to eventually create a Net Zero Home. SmartThings Energy integrates these projects to provide consolidated control and monitor home energy use. It can also synchronize to a program like Demand Response (DR),²⁰ by automatically adjusting connected appliances’ mode when the DR event is triggered. Samsung is committed to expanding its collaborations across the globe to help customers make progress on the path to an energy-efficient lifestyle.

¹ AI-based features available on select appliances.
² AI-based features available on select appliances.
³ Appliances must be connected with SmartThings and registered under the same Samsung account.
⁴ AI Vision Inside accessible through the Family Hub utilize AI-based algorithm, which may be updated periodically to improve accuracy. The AI-based algorithms may generate incomplete or incorrect information.
⁵ For AI Home available on Anyplace Induction: Recipe recommendations and Bixby accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithms. To access your AI recipe recommendations, click on the ‘Food’ service within the SmartThings App in the AI Home menu. For AI Home available on Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™: AI Opti™ Wash & Dry and Bixby accessible through the AI Home utilize AI-based algorithm. Our AI-based algorithms may be updated periodically to improve accuracy. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
⁶ The test results are based on a comparison of the factory setting temperature when using AI Energy mode and without using AI Energy mode. Results may vary depending on the usage conditions and patterns.
⁷ Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
⁸ SmartThings will display a notification before activating the saving algorithm in both “Maximum Mode” and “Custom Mode.”
⁹ Based on internal testing. Test conditions: Comparison of the actual cookable area covered by the coil. Comparison model: NZ84C605**K/U*(conventional)
¹⁰ Based on testing by Intertek of the Mohs hardness rating in accordance with ASTM C1895: General ceramic glass = 5, Samsung Anti-Scratch Glass = 8. For comparison, Diamond = 10, Masonry drill bit = 8, Iron nail = 6. The test involves placing a sample on the tester, then installing the tip and setting the angle to 70°C. 200g of balance weight is placed on the tester, before scratching the sample with the tip 5 times and then cleaning the surface and checking it with the naked eye to see if a scratch is visible.
¹¹ DW7700B
¹² DW60DG790***** have rated an A energy grade and DW60DG770/760***** have rated B energy grade.
¹³ Based on internal testing. When using the Extra Silence program the noise level is 41dB with the third rack installed.
¹⁴ Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.
¹⁵ Based on internal testing on a DW60DG790I00ET model to measure the energy consumption of the ‘Pots and Pans’ program with and without using AI Energy mode, in accordance with the EN 60436 standards. Result: ‘Pots and Pans’ program = 1,500Wh/cycle and ‘Pots and Pans’ program with AI Energy mode = 1,150Wh/cycle, which is a reduction of 23.3%. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions. AI Energy mode can be used with 6 washing cycles: Intensive, Express, Extra Silence, Pots and Pans, Plastic, Auto.
¹⁶ Custom panel weight range: 4.5-12kg (Self adjusting).
¹⁷ AI Ecobubble™ is only activated when specific courses are selected, including Cotton, Synthetics and AI Wash with loads less than 2kg.
¹⁸ Up to 70% reduction in energy use from using Ecobubble™ cold wash compared to washing in warm water. Tested in accordance with IEC 60456-2010 / 4kg Wash Load / Super Eco Wash cold (WF80F5E5U4W) vs. Cotton 40°C without Ecobubble™ (WF0702WKU). Individual results may vary.
¹⁹ Less Microfiber™ Filter captures approximately 89-98% of microplastics when washing; laboratory tested using 2kg synthetic fabric load in the WW90T734DWH, WF24A9500KW, and washing machine. Less Microfiber™ Cycle reduces microplastics emissions in the water drained from washing machine, based on testing by the Ocean Wise Plastics Lab using a 2kg load of 100% polyester hoodies, comparing Synthetics cycle on a Samsung conventional model WW4000T and the Less Microfiber cycle on the WW7000B. When washing synthetic fabrics only. Results may vary depending on the actual clothes and usage conditions.
²⁰ Demand Response (DR) is a program that provides several forms of incentives to customers who shift their electricity demand during peak hours.

One of Netflix’s most popular K-dramas, Sweet Home is returning with its highly anticipated season 3. With fans ready to experience the final showdown between monsters and humans in the apocalyptic horror series, here’s a recap of all the important events from seasons 1 and 2 of Sweet Home.

A Lee Eung-Bok directorial, Sweet Home is a Korean drama adaptation of the webtoon of the same name, written by Kim Carnby and illustrated by Hwang Young-chan. While season 1 of the show was viewed by over 22 million Netflix subscribers worldwide in the first four weeks of its release, season 2 expanded its success with better performances and massive plot twists.

According to Netflix, season 3 of the K-drama serves as the grand finale. Talking about the upcoming instalment in a press conference (via TheKoreaTimes), actor Lee Jin-uk, who plays Pyeon Sang-wook in the series, said, “The third season brings together all the events that have unfolded and reaches a conclusion. The differentiation is that the characters who have gone through various experiences in the first and second seasons undergo changes in their abilities and produce results.” Sweet Home 3 is all set to premiere on Netflix on 19 July 2024.

Spoilers ahead!

Sweet Home recap: A look at the major conflicts between monsters and humans in seasons 1 and 2

First, meet the residents of Green Home

• Song Kang as Cha Hyun-su — an introverted Green Home resident who later becomes a monster-human and gains special regenerative abilities
• Lee Do-hyun as Lee Eun-hyuk — a former medical student who becomes the leader of the residents
• Go Min-si as Lee Eun-yu — Eun-hyuk’s adopted younger sister
• Lee Jin-wook as Pyeon Sang-wook — a mysterious contract killer who later becomes a trusted ally to the Green Home residents
• Lee Si-young as Seo Yi-kyung — a former firefighter and skilled martial artist who is in search of her fiancé
• Lee Sin-seong as Nam Sang-Won — Seo Yi-kyung’s fiancé who mysteriously disappeared two days before their wedding
• Kim Sung-cheol as Jung Ui-myeong — a scientist and the slime monster’s first human guise.

Sweet Home recap: What happens in season 1?

Who is Cha Hyun-su?

Season 1 begins in September 2020. Armed soldiers descend on a snow-covered, wrecked apartment as monstrous creatures crawl and snarl at the sky. This is when viewers first meet protagonist Cha Hyun-su, blood-stained and staggering through the snow. Soon, a helicopter overhead tracks his moves and soldiers, unsure if he is a human or a monster, start firing. Despite numerous bullet shots to his chest, Hyun-su continues walking, as the voice-over says, “This is a story about us, the ones trying to find a reason to live in a world where this is even more difficult than surviving.”

Following this, a time jump takes viewers a month back. Hyun-su, a clinically depressed high school dropout moves into the Green Home apartment after his family is killed in a car crash. The first episode makes it clear that Hyun-su has no will to live and is planning his suicide. However, the young boy is left in shock when a day later, he witnesses his Green Home neighbours turn into blood-thirsty monsters.

What led to the monstrosity?

Over the course of ten episodes, Hyun-su meets a group of survivors led by medical trainee Lee Eun-hyuk and decides to help them fight their way to safety. As the dystopian evolution of Seoul goes on, it is revealed that the monster outbreak is caused by a curse, not a virus or a chemical mishap. People turning into monsters have given into their desires and have had their inner greed take over their bodies. The first symptoms of the monsterisation process are nose bleeding and unconsciousness.

As the story moves forward, Hyun-su, too, gets infected by the curse. However, it is revealed that he is a ‘special infectee’ — a human infected with the monster curse that can contain it. As a monster-human, Hyun-su gains regenerative abilities, but instead of giving into the desires of the monster inside him, he uses his powers to help the survivors of Green Home.

Elsewhere, Shin Jung-seop, the leader of a gang of prison escapees, enters Green Home alongside Jung Ui-myeong and a few others, hunting down a runaway gang member. Ui-myeong tries to manipulate Hyun-su against the Green Home residents and informs him that in the end, they will hand over the duo to the military. Hyun-su refuses to believe him.

Who is Ui-myeong?

In the flashback, viewers see that Ui-myeong is actually a researcher, and the person talking to Hyun-Su is not the real Ui-myeong but a slime monster. After killing the researchers, it escaped from the facility using Ui-myeong’s body as his new host.

In the present, the slime monster turns hostile and Hyun-su ends up killing Ui-myeong and dissolves his body with his power. Without a host to control, the monster sneaks outside in his true form and takes control of Sang-wook’s (a Green Home resident) corpse.

However, Ui-myeong reveals about the military’s ulterior motives before Hyun-su kills him. He says that the military has been conducting human experiments on ‘special infectees’ in order to find ways to extract the curse from the human body. Besides prodding and torturing innocent people in the garb of an experiment, the military has also been working on a secret plan called Operation Golden Hour, in which they plan to execute almost all the citizens of South Korea.

Elsewhere, Yi-kyung starts working with the military secretly in hopes of finding the whereabouts of her estranged fiancé.

Is Eun-hyuk still alive?

Towards the end of the show, while the survivors of Green Home are making their way to military custody, Eun-hyuk elects to stay behind because he doubts that he might have been infected. In one of the most heartbreaking scenes of Sweet Home season 1, Eun-hyuk, not wanting to jeopardise the safety of his friends, quarantines himself in Green Home and decides to die alone. However, Eun-hyuk’s last moments show him exhibiting early symptoms of the monster curse, thereby putting a question mark on his death.

Season 1 finale

The military arrives at Green Home, ready to gun down the place. Hyun-su decides to help his human friends reach safety by arriving in front of the military and distracting them. As the force starts shooting Hyun-Su, the slime monster, now in Sang-wook’s body, rescues him.

In the final scene, as the survivors of Green Home get ready to leave with the military, Yi-Kyung appears before them in full military uniform, officially indicating that she has now crossed over to the military side.

Sweet Home season 1 finale also confirms that not all the monsters have malicious intent. Even in their mutated and most hideous forms, some are just scared and struggling to survive, just like the humans.

Sweet Home season 2 recap: Meet the new characters

• Yu Oh-seong as Master Sergeant Tak In-hwan — leader of the Special Forces of the Guard Corps, aka, the Crow Platoon
• Oh Jung-se as Dr Lim — a researcher of vaccines
• Kim Mu-yeol as Sergeant First Class Kim Young-hoo — the second-in-command of the Guard Corps
• Jung Jin-young as Park Chan-young — a soldier in the Guard Corps
• Kim Shin-rok as Chief Ji — the general manager of facility management
• Kim Si-a — Seo Yi-kyung’s mutant child
• Ki So-yu — the young version of Seo Yi-kyung’s mutant child
• Jung Suk-won as Sergeant Min Seo-jin — a Marine Recon in the Guard Corps

Sweet Home recap: What happens in season 2?

Conflict between humans and monsters continue

Season 2 begins with an increasing conflict between humans and monsters. While humans believe that all monsters are an abomination and should be exterminated, monsters are of the opinion that they make for a superior race. According to them, it’s humans who are the real problem.

Amid all the chaos, Hyun-su too struggles to choose between the two sides. Meanwhile, Green Home residents find a new shelter, a stadium. The place is guarded by the government’s Crow Platoon which maintains strict rules for its residents. The stadium has also restricted entry to the outside world.

Secrets within Crow Platoon

However, things take a drastic turn when the Crow Platoon’s leader, Tak In-hwan, begins to show symptoms of monsterisation. He keeps it a secret and instead announces that the Crow Platoon would execute anyone if they find them symptomatic. On the other hand, Chief Ji keeps her son, who is now a monster-human, in the stadium and feeds him one human a day.

Seo Yi-kyung’s fate

Elsewhere, Dr. Lim, who believes humans are the curse and monsters the cure, is in awe of the entire monsterisation process. Throughout the season, viewers see him engage in several experiments, which eventually lead him to perform his experiments on Hyun-su. However, the latter escapes and finds Seo Yi-kyung, who is on the verge of killing her newborn baby.

For context, Yi-kyung was pregnant in season 1. In season 2, she gives birth to a girl, whose growth is rapidly accelerated due to the baby’s father, Sang-won, being a monster-human hybrid. As a result, the child grows up differently and makes for one of the most powerful monster-humans of the season.

Yi-kyung, however, is guilt-ridden and chooses to leave her daughter under the care of Hyun-su. Towards the end of the series, she reappears and decides to raise her daughter but ends up mistreating her. One day, consumed by regret, Yi-kyung decides to end her life by setting her boat on fire. Hyun-su saves her and takes her to Eun-yu and Chan-young. The trio try to treat her wounds, but due to insufficient oxygen, Yi-kyung’s condition deteriorates. Hyun-su hurries and brings her daughter to her to help her say goodbye one last time. Yi-kyung’s daughter asks a heartbroken Hyun-su if he wants her mother to be alive and he says yes. Consequently, she turns her mother into a monster and saves her. This devastates Hyun-su as Yi-kyung would have never wanted that.

Season 2 finale

In the last episode of the apocalyptic horror K-drama, Hyun-su decides to kill Yi-kyung and end her suffering by throwing her into a pit.

Additionally, another important event that makes it to our Sweet Home recap is Eun-hyuk being alive in season 2. In the final moments of season 2, Eun-hyuk is shown emerging naked from a cocoon, hinting at the fact that he has now entered his neo-human stage — the last phase of monsterisation.

What to expect from season 3?

According to Netflix, season 3 will blur the line between monsters and humans, as “humanity grapples with the emergency of neo-humans in a world on the brink of annihilation, marking the climax of the monsterisation saga.”

Fans can likely expect Yi-kyung to return to Sweet Home season 3 and join hands with her monster-human fiancé, Sang-won. However, the most interesting aspect of the third instalment will likely be the final showdown between Hyun-su and Eun-hyuk, a glimpse of which is also included in the official trailer.

Watch seasons 1 and 2 of Sweet Home on Netflix here.

(Hero and Featured image: Courtesy Netflix)

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Target is keeping its eye on the summer sale bullseye with its own 48-hour shopping marathon to rival Amazon Prime Day. The Minneapolis-based mass retailer’s 2-Day Deals event is aligned with Prime Day‘s dates: July 16 and 17, and while a good amount of the discounts overlap with Amazon’s, there are some absolute steals that aren’t offered by the competitor. (That’s where we come in.)

The sale highlights home, kitchen, toy and college deals, but includes savings across all categories. It is among the Prime Day alternative sales hoping to attract discount-seeking shoppers away from Amazon this summer.

Below, we rounded up the top 10 Target deals that aren’t available on Amazon. From Sofia Richie Grainge-loved hair care to the best electric kettle we’ve ever tried, here are the can’t-miss Target savings to take advantage of today.

Related: Target’s 30 Most Shockingly High-Design Fashion and Home Finds

Cosori Smart Gooseneck Kettle

There is no better kettle than Cosori, and this is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on the copper shade.

Gourmia 8-Quart Digital Air Fryer

The same air fryer on Amazon is $89.99 for Prime Day (only $10 off).

Roborock S8 Robot Vacuum and Mop

Roborock is the Ferrari of robot vacuums.

Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine

If you don’t yet have a Nespresso, this is your time to score one for less.

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) Smart Display

This Google Nest Hub is also available in charcoal and a light blue-gray.

Sonos Entertainment Set With Ray Compact Soundbar and Sub Mini Wireless Subwoofer

Save $86 when you buy the pair.

Jason Wu Beauty Jason Beauty Mark Faux Freckle

A unisex freckle pen with a rose water-infused formula.

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6

Get the instant film camera in an exclusive aqua blue colorway.

Bose QuietComfort Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones

Target is the only place to find this “chilled lilac” colorway of Bose’s bestselling headphones.

Oral-B Clic Toothbrush (With Magnetic Holder)

A comfortable and effective manual toothbrush with an included magnetic holder. The eco-friendly pick is reusable — just swap out the brush head every few months.

See more Target-exclusive deals now on Target.com.