The Historic Stranahan House Museum – the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale and the epicenter of Broward County’s long and fascinating history – is excited to host its Fourth Annual Founding Families Fall Festival. The annual event will take place on Friday, Sept 25, from 5 to 8 p.m., with the picturesque New River creating the perfect backdrop. The community is invited to celebrate the founding families of Fort Lauderdale with festive fall fun. Guests will enjoy food trucks, beer and wine vendors, games, live music, and more for all ages. The Water Taxi will be providing complimentary rides. A special ceremony to honor the founding families will take place at 6:15 p.m. All proceeds will support the year-round historic preservation and education programs at the Historic Stranahan House Museum, one of the top cultural attractions in Fort Lauderdale. The Historic Stranahan House Museum is the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale and the epicenter of Broward County’s long and fascinating history. Built in 1901, Stranahan House is recognized as the birthplace of Fort Lauderdale and was home to the area’s first businessman, Frank Stranahan, and the first schoolteacher, Ivy Cromartie Stranahan. Stranahan House opened as a museum in 1984. The Stranahan House thanks its generous sponsors, including Amazon and Tripp Scott. When: Friday, Sept. 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. Ceremony: 6:15 p.m. Where: Stranahan House 335 SE 6th Ave. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 Cost: Adults: $5 Children: Free How: For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://stranahanhouse.org/ffff/. Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are available and range from $500 to $5,00. For more information, please contact Executive Director Jennifer Belt by email at director@stranahanhouse.org or call 954-524-4736. Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event and may RSVP to stranahan@dureeandcompany.com. Complimentary parking is available at the Riverside Hotel, located at 620 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301. By ML Staff.

New World Symphony is showcasing three recent projects from its BLUE program in on-demand video streams and has confirmed that tickets for its 2026-27 season will go on sale on July 24. The BLUE initiative, which stands for Build, Learn, Understand and Experiment, combines leadership and entrepreneurship training with hands-on artistic experimentation. Fellows and alumni lead performances, installations, community engagement projects and product prototypes that highlight the role of music in the wider community. Recent BLUE concerts now available to stream include “Chamber Masterworks of Eastern Europe”, which features music from Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary in collaboration with the Mount Vernon Virtuosi String Quartet, “Constellations in BLUE”, a digital album and concert project centered on works that influenced former Piano Fellow Shih-Man Weng, and “Marais’s Cello,” which explores the chamber and solo repertoire of French Baroque composer Marin Marais, including viola da gamba works performed on cello. Tickets for New World Symphony’s 2026-27 season will be available to the general public starting July 24. Audience members can secure seats now by building a subscription package that offers discounted pricing and flexible ticket exchanges into a wide range of concerts, with some exclusions. For additional programming and event details, visit New World Symphony. By ML. Photo(s)/New World Symphony

Florida Grand Opera is encouraging audiences in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties to secure seats for its upcoming season, highlighting a lineup built around popular grand opera titles and the emotional impact of live performance. Subscribers are being asked to renew their existing packages or purchase new ones, with the company emphasizing that ticket revenue covers only a portion of production costs. Additional donations help fund world class singers, a live orchestra, sets and costumes, as well as behind the scenes artists and crew. Donors receive benefits such as access to dress rehearsals, a donor lounge and special events. Florida Grand Opera notes that philanthropic support also underwrites outreach programs that bring opera to students, veterans, individuals with disabilities and underserved communities across South Florida. Patrons can renew subscriptions or purchase new packages online. By ML. Photo(s)/Florida Grand Opera

Following an electrifying runway debut at Miami Swim Week® – The Shows, jewelry designer Ashley Carson found herself reflecting not only on where the brand was headed, but on the path that had brought it there. What began years earlier as handmade necklaces had evolved into collections of jewelry, body chains, runway statement pieces, and ultimately handcrafted chain couture presented on one of swimwear’s most visible stages. Rather than immediately chasing the next runway moment, Carson began reflecting on the path that had brought her there. Looking back, she started to recognize recurring themes that had quietly shaped both her life and her work: navigation, transformation, resilience, and the unexpected ways in which meaning reveals itself over time. Water has long been a recurring influence throughout her work. Raised along the coast of South Florida, Carson spent much of her childhood on boats, fishing, diving, and immersed in the rhythms of the ocean. Over time, the water became more than a place—it became a source of endless fascination and a recurring thread throughout her life. Storms reshape shorelines, alter landscapes, and sometimes reveal what had been hidden beneath the surface all along. That philosophy can be found throughout her collections. Among the featured pieces are designs inspired by navigation, including iolite gemstones historically associated with Viking voyagers. Long before modern instruments, sailors are believed to have used the stone to help locate the sun through overcast skies and uncertain weather. Carson was drawn to the gemstone long before learning its history, later discovering an unexpected connection to the themes already present throughout her work. Other pieces draw inspiration from fossilized shark teeth and megalodon relics uncovered along Florida’s coastline after powerful storms. These ancient remnants originated in oceans that existed millions of years before human history. For Carson, they serve as reminders that meaning is often revealed over time. Those discoveries would eventually inspire pieces that became central to her collections, including a fossilized megalodon necklace and the handcrafted chain couture dress Carson wore during the designer finale of her Miami Swim Week® – The Shows runway presentation. Together, they embodied many of the themes running throughout her work—navigation, transformation, endurance, and connection—and would become one of the defining images of her career. Yet the evolution of the Ashley Carson brand is also a story rooted in family history. Long before Carson began creating jewelry, several generations of her family worked in wearable forms of craftsmanship. Her great-grandfather worked as a tailor for Marshall Field’s flagship Chicago store during the Great Depression and made clothing for his family by hand. According to family stories, he intentionally chose not to teach any of his children the trade, hoping they would pursue opportunities beyond the sewing machine. Yet the creative impulse endured. Carson’s grandmother found her own path to sewing. Her mother carried that creative tradition forward as well, designing and creating many of her own garments—pieces shaped by her own sense of style and creativity. Carson eventually found her own medium in jewelry. The pattern repeated across generations, though each pursued it for different reasons. Some created from necessity. Others from self-expression, craftsmanship, or storytelling. Yet all worked in forms designed to become part of someone’s life—not simply admired from a distance, but worn, carried, remembered, and woven into personal stories. That tradition eventually found its way into jewelry. What began with necklaces gradually expanded into collections of jewelry, body chains, runway pieces, and handcrafted chain couture. Across the collections, chain remained a recurring medium—reimagined in different forms, scales, and stories. Like the links themselves, each collection built upon the one before it. Some ideas arrived fully formed. Others revealed their purpose only with time. Today, Ashley Carson continues to create pieces that invite women to carry their own stories forward—objects that reflect not only beauty, but memory, resilience, and meaning. For Carson, inspiration can be found in many places: stories passed through generations, relics revealed after storms, and collections that continue to evolve with each passing year. Each woman brings her own story to the pieces she wears and carries it forward in her own way. Like every collection before it, the story continues to evolve. And the chain continues. CONTACT INFORMATION Brand: Ashley Carson Website: AshleyCarson.com Instagram: @AshleyCarsonDesigns TikTok: @AshleyCarsonDesigns Facebook: @Ashley Carson Designs Media Inquiries: hello@ashleycarsondesigns.com credits Designer & Model: Ashley Carson Photography: Jonathan Orozco, Haute Couture Media Instagram: @jonathandorozco By ML Staff

Prada has introduced a new selection of chain wallets for women, focusing on refined and versatile accessories designed for organizing essentials. The pieces stand out for their compact volumes and removable shoulder straps, allowing for different ways to wear them and reinforcing the models' everyday functionality. The selection includes a variety of colors and materials, featuring classic Saffiano leather wallets and designs inspired by seasonal palettes, aimed at those seeking structured and updated accessories. The collection can be viewed on the brand's official website, where customers have access to the complete selection and women's new arrivals. By ML. Photo(s)/Prada

Chanel has released Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss, a new lip gloss collection designed to deliver lasting hydration, a smoother appearance and a plumping effect. The range features 18 new shades that span delicate to vibrant tones, with finishes that include mirror-like and lacquered shine as well as sheer and more intense color. The formulas are positioned to provide a high-shine result while maintaining comfort on the lips. Chanel has also introduced three limited-edition Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss shades for the season: 460 Superposition, a soft coral; 456 Fabuleuse, a citrine yellow; and 458 Éclectique, a jade green with a frosted finish. The collection is available through the brand’s official website. By ML. Photo(s)/CHANEL

The Miami HEAT will hold a 2026 NBA Draft Party at Kaseya Center in Miami on June 23, giving fans a chance to gather at the arena to follow the draft and celebrate the team’s selections. Fans are encouraged to RSVP online for the draft party, and can also buy preseason tickets for the 2026–27 campaign to secure early access to upcoming home games. Supporters looking to gear up for draft night can shop official draft hats through the team’s online store ahead of the event. By ML. Photo(s)/Miami HEAT

Customers purchasing Father’s Day gifts from Chanel can now receive complimentary overnight shipping when ordering online within the specified deadline, allowing deliveries to arrive in time for the occasion. The offer applies to qualifying online orders placed by 3 PM (EDT) on June 18, 2026, and is available exclusively through Chanel’s online boutique. Customers are encouraged to shop now to select gifts across categories such as fragrance, skincare, fashion and accessories marketed for the holiday. The complimentary overnight shipping promotion excludes orders shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, PO Boxes and APO/FPO addresses, as well as orders containing nail products, which remain eligible only for ground shipping. The service is not available for international destinations, does not apply retroactively to prior purchases and is limited to online orders placed within the promotional period. By ML. Photo(s)/CHANEL

Versace has introduced a new selection of lightweight knit polos and warm weather essentials designed for summer dressing. The collection focuses on fresh knit polos and refined wardrobe staples in breathable fabrics, offering options that transition from daytime outings to evening occasions in hotter climates. The new pieces are available in Versace boutiques and online at versace.com for customers looking to update their summer wardrobes. By ML. Photo(s)/Versace

Prada has announced a new selection of summer accessories for women, focusing on pieces that enhance the creation of complete looks. The collection brings together delicate prints, vibrant graphic patterns, and diverse textures ranging from silk to crochet, featuring items designed for the warm weather season. The new releases can be found in the women's new arrivals section, as well as in the men's new arrivals, on the brand's official website. By ML. Photo(s)/Prada

They say love conquers all, but it doesn’t always conquer snoring. In the US, it’s estimated that 82% of couples share a bed. Sharing a bed with your partner is often seen as an essential part of a romantic relationship. But have you ever wondered whether sleeping apart might actually be better for your health? Oleh Veres/Shutterstock Good quality sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. As most adults spend between six and nine hours asleep in every 24-hour period, our sleeping arrangements can have a major effect on wellbeing. Sleeping arrangements have also evolved over time and across cultures. Until the early 20th century, sleeping together with a partner, children, extended family members or even pets was common. However, the discovery of germs and growing concerns about hygiene led to fears about disease transmission. Sleeping in close proximity began to be seen as a potential health risk, and a new trend emerged for couples to sleep in separate beds or even separate rooms. More recently, we have seen a surge in celebrities announcing their “sleep divorces” from their partners – but are they right? Sleeping together does appear to bring several benefits. It can strengthen closeness and attachment within a couple and support intimacy. Research suggests it may also have physical effects: couples’ breathing and heart rates can synchronise during sleep, which may contribute to feelings of safety and security. Sleeping together can also reduce stress and increase the production of the hormone oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the “love hormone”. Couples often report that they sleep better together than when sleeping apart. This has been examined not only through self-reports but also through research using specialist sleep-monitoring methods, including laboratory sleep studies and wearable sleep trackers that measure movement during the night. When sharing a bed disrupts sleep However, what happens if your sleep is actually disrupted by your partner rather than improved? There can be many reasons for this. A partner may snore, get up several times during the night to use the bathroom, read with the light on, or watch television in bed. They might have a sleep condition such as sleep apnoea or restless legs syndrome. Hormonal changes can also play a role, for example menopausal hot flushes or night sweats. Pregnancy, caring for an infant, or different work schedules and shift patterns can also disrupt sleep. When these disturbances occur frequently, they interfere with fundamental sleep processes, including how quickly you fall asleep (known as sleep onset), how often you wake during the night and how long you remain asleep. Disruption to these processes can have a range of detrimental effects on general physical health. Poor sleep can impair the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections such as coughs and colds. It can also disrupt digestion and metabolism, increasing the risk of weight gain and conditions such as diabetes by affecting insulin regulation. In situations like these, sleeping apart may help. Separate sleeping arrangements allow each person to optimise their own sleep environment. This might include choosing different mattresses or bedding, adjusting light levels, controlling room temperature, or even changing scents and air quality in the bedroom. Sleeping apart can also support better sleep hygiene. Each partner can adapt their habits around their own sleep patterns, such as going to bed at different times, reading before sleep, or avoiding screens in bed. This behaviour is known to promote better sleep and, in turn, better overall health. Why relationship quality matters for sleep But the physical sleep environment is only part of the story. Relationship dynamics also play an important role. Couples who report being in happy, supportive relationships tend to experience better sleep overall. By contrast, people in unhappy relationships often report poorer sleep quality. Lack of sleep can then worsen emotional regulation, increase anxiety, lower stress tolerance and reduce empathy. These effects can create a negative cycle in which poor sleep contributes to further relationship strain. Although sleeping in separate beds is sometimes seen as a sign of relationship trouble, this is not necessarily the case. If a partner’s behaviour is consistently disrupting sleep, the health benefits of sleeping separately may outweigh the drawbacks. Ultimately, whether couples sleep best together or apart depends on both partners and the quality of their relationship. For some couples, sharing a bed strengthens connection and comfort. For others, a “sleep divorce” may simply be a practical way to ensure everyone gets the rest they need. Words by Dr Laura Boubert, Principal Lecturer in Psychology, University of Westminster. Special thanks for The Conversation. Support and donate today.

Youth activities give children and teens more than something to do after school. Sports, music, art, dance, clubs, camps, and volunteer work help young people build friendships, confidence, and a sense of belonging. These experiences often become the stories they remember years later. A game-winning goal, a first recital, a group project, or a summer camp trip can shape how a child sees themselves and connects with others. Shared Experiences Build Strong Bonds Children remember activities more clearly when they share them with others. Team practices, rehearsals, club meetings, and group events create chances to form friendships through common goals. These shared moments help young people feel connected and valued. A child may forget a single worksheet or routine day at school, but they often remember laughing with teammates, preparing for a performance, or helping a friend learn a new skill. These memories matter because they are tied to emotion, effort, and personal connection. Youth activities also bring families together. Parents and caregivers often attend games, shows, award nights, and community events. These shared milestones can become lasting family memories. Confidence Grows Through Participation Trying new activities helps children learn what they can do. A child who joins a team, enters a contest, or performs in front of others learns to manage nerves and take healthy risks. These moments build confidence through action. Progress often happens in small steps. A young athlete improves a skill. A musician learns a hard song. A dancer grows more comfortable in dancewear before stepping onto a stage. Each success gives children proof that effort leads to growth. Setbacks are also part of the experience. Losing a game, missing a note, or struggling with a project teaches patience and resilience. These lessons often stay with young people because they are learned through real situations. Routines Create Meaningful Traditions Regular activities can become important traditions in a child’s life. Weekly practices, seasonal tournaments, summer programs, and yearly performances give children something to expect and work toward. These routines create structure. They also help children mark time in meaningful ways. A child may remember “the year we won the tournament” or “the summer I learned to swim.” These memories become part of their personal story. Traditions do not need to be large or costly. A simple ride to practice, a snack after a lesson, or a family photo before a performance can become a memory that lasts. Activities Teach Social Skills Youth activities help children practice communication, cooperation, and respect. They learn how to listen to coaches, follow group rules, support peers, and solve problems. These skills are easier to learn through active participation. A child who works with a team learns how their actions affect others. A child in a club learns how to share ideas and accept feedback. These social lessons support school, friendships, and future work. Memories Shape Identity The activities children join often influence how they describe themselves. A child may see themselves as an artist, athlete, leader, helper, performer, or teammate. These roles can support a strong sense of identity. Positive memories from youth activities can also guide future choices. A teen who volunteers may pursue service work. A child who enjoys science club may become more curious about related careers. Early experiences can open doors to interests that continue into adulthood. Youth activities leave a lasting mark because they combine effort, emotion, friendship, and growth. They help children build skills while creating memories tied to people and milestones. Families can support these experiences by encouraging participation, showing up consistently, and valuing progress over perfection. Check out the infographic below to learn more. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Microsoft Stock Images