CNN travel | Americans are flocking to Europe’s hot spots. Here’s where Europeans are going instead

(CNN) — If you’ve been thinking every American you know is in Europe this summer (or headed there this fall), you might be right.

“For most American travelers, this is the first year they are traveling unencumbered by Covid restrictions,” said Dolev Azaria, founder of New York City-based Azaria Travel, in an email.

“And with such pent-up demand, the most popular destinations in Italy, France and Greece, such as the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Tuscany, French Riviera, St. Tropez and Mykonos, are seeing record-high demand.”  –read more– 

CNN Opinion | Opinion: Why it’s time to stop privileging marriage in America

(CNN) – It pays to be married. According to new data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and reported in the Wall Street Journal, the financial gap between married couples and single people aged 25-34 has widened into a chasm, with married couples worth nearly nine times as much as singles. That’s a big jump from 2010, when marrieds were still worth four times as much as singles.

Some of this is just math: Households with two adults in them have more resources. They will be able to split the cost of rent and groceries and more easily qualify for a mortgage or save for a down payment on a house.  –read more–  

CNN BUSINESS | The Black homeownership rate is now lower than it was a decade ago

(CNN) – Even as home prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic, homeownership continues to grow. But the rate of home buying has not increased at the same pace for all Americans, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors.

More Americans own a home now than in any year following the Great Recession, with the US homeownership rate climbing to 65.5% in 2020, according to NAR. That’s up 1.3% from 2019, the largest annual increase on record.

But Black homeownership, at 43.4%, remains lower than it was a decade ago. And it is nearly 30 percentage points behind the White homeownership rate of 72.1%. Meanwhile, the Hispanic homeownership rate rose to an all-time high, reaching over 50% for the first time, and the Asian homeownership rate is 61.7%.  –read more–  

CNN underscored | From paper to diamonds, 36 wedding anniversary gifts to give by year

Whether it’s your first year of marriage or you’ve been by one another’s side for multiple decades, each wedding anniversary is a major milestone that deserves to be celebrated. What you may not know is that, traditionally, each anniversary year is denoted by a specific gift, beginning with simple and affordable materials — like paper for the first anniversary — and gradually increasing in significance as the years go on.  –read more–

CNN BUSINESS | Apple issues emergency security alert: Update your device now

Apple issues emergency security alert: Update your device now  –watch–

CNN travel | The least-visited national parks in the United States

(CNN) — There are more than 420 sites in the US National Park System, but only 63 carry the headliner — capital N, capital P — “National Park” title.

The most visited of those, Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, welcomed a record-setting 14.2 million recreation visits in 2021. Zion, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are other top visitor draws. See full lists of the most popular National Park Service sites here.

But what about the least-visited headliners? Parks that might be especially wild or hard to reach but also uncrowded and largely undiscovered. Let’s take a peek at those.

Seven out of the 15 least-visited national parks in 2021 are in Alaska.  –read more– 

CNN travel | World’s 50 greatest places of 2022, according to TIME magazine

(CNN) — Get your credit card out and your favorite booking platforms at the ready: US magazine and news website TIME has just released its list of the world’s 50 greatest places of 2022.

The list was compiled by its international network of correspondents and contributors, and, says TIME in a statement, “with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences.”

The 50 destinations to make the cut include both classic big-hitters and less-explored spots, but what unites them is that they are “thriving, growing and changing,” says TIME, “charting a path to economic recovery” and “investing in sustainability.”  –read more–

HGTV | Our 100+ Fave Designer Living Rooms

Ready to remodel your living room? Whether you want bright colors or clean neutrals, traditional furnishings or modern pieces, a family space or a sleek place to entertain, these 100+ living rooms are sure to inspire.   –view gallery–  

CNN health Mindfulness | How Goldie Hawn’s mindfulness superpowers can help rescue kids, including yours

effervescent Academy Award-winning actor Goldie Hawn wasn’t always so joy-fuelled.

The superhero origin story of becoming the Goldie Hawn of today has roots in a pair of global threats of violence. The first triggered childhood anxiety for Hawn, and the second inspired her to address anxiety as an advocate for kids.  –read more– 

CNN Opinion | Opinion: ‘I’m just a Black girl that got caught up’: Five years after the deadly violence in Charlottesville

(CNN) – On a Saturday afternoon, August 12, 2017, Tadrint “Tay” Washington drove to downtown Charlottesville to visit a friend. It was a hot and muggy day in central Virginia. Washington had just graduated from an EMT course and done well on her practical exam. Just one written exam remained before she could officially make good on her promise to herself to find a job she was passionate about and that could provide a good life for her then-seven-year-old daughter.

Washington’s friend wasn’t home, so she got back into her car and headed for home. The regular route was blocked; a detour pushed her further downtown. It was crowded, way more than usual, she thought. Another detour.  –read more–