Portland – September 22, 2026 -- Bob's Red Mill is marking National Good Neighbor Day on September 28 by encouraging people to bake a homemade treat for someone nearby, teaming up with actor and author Lauren Graham for the occasion.

Lauren Graham shares a gluten-free muffin recipe designed for sharing

Graham, known for her roles in close-knit on-screen communities, created a recipe for Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake Muffins using Bob's Red Mill's Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. The flour works as a direct swap for wheat flour, making the treat easy to bring to a new neighbor, a longtime friend, or a coffee table gathering.

"I don't think being a good neighbor requires a grand gesture. Making something you love and sharing it with someone is a simple way to say, 'I'm thinking of you,'" Graham said, noting that she is gluten free herself and appreciates recipes more neighbors can actually eat.

Los Angeles – September 22, 2026 -- "Chrysalis," a U.S.-Vietnam family drama inspired by artist Sir Daniel K. Winn's childhood, opened in Vietnam on Sept. 11 to positive reviews from critics and audiences ahead of its planned April 2027 U.S. premiere, presented by the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

Vietnamese critics praised the film's restrained, emotional performances

ELLE Vietnam highlighted the conviction of the grandmother-grandson dynamic between veteran actress Kieu Chinh and young performer Uy Nhan. Harper's Bazaar Vietnam wrote that the film's first theatrical screening left a lasting impression through its understated treatment of family, roots and intergenerational memory.

The film scored an 8.2 average from 211 ticket-holder reviews during its opening week

Ratings came from MoMo, a Vietnamese ticketing platform. A Sept. 11 Kenh14 report, citing Box Office Vietnam data, placed the film at No. 4 in a daily box-office snapshot.

Anchorage, Alaska – September 22, 2026 -- Explore.org and Katmai Conservancy have opened the 12th season of Fat Bear Week, running September 22-29, 2026, inviting the public to vote online for the plumpest brown bear at Brooks River.

Voting decides the 2026 champion on September 29

Fans can cast votes in head-to-head matchups on the Fat Bear Week website starting September 22, with new rounds advancing bears each day. The 2026 Champion will be crowned September 29 at 5 p.m. Alaska Time.

Bears pack on fat to survive Katmai's harsh winters

Brown bears at Brooks River feast on salmon throughout summer, building fat reserves essential for surviving long months in their dens. This year's competition features an expanded bracket after a record number of bear families used the river this summer.

Prairie du Sac – September 22, 2026 -- Culver's is bringing back Curdtoberfest, its annual monthlong celebration of Wisconsin heritage and cheese curds, running from Sept. 28 through Oct. 31.

The Smoked Cheddar CurderBurger debuts as the brand's first flavored CurderBurger

Culver's fresh, never-frozen beef gets topped with golden-fried smoked cheddar cheese in the new burger, available Sept. 28 through Oct. 11 or while supplies last. It marks the first flavored version of the CurderBurger since the item debuted in 2021.

Jalapeño Cheese Curds return Oct. 12 through Nov. 29

The fan-favorite item puts a spicy spin on Culver's classic Wisconsin Cheese Curds, made with real cheddar and bits of jalapeño pepper. The curds will be available while supplies last.

Manchester – September 22, 2026 -- Treehouse Hotel Manchester has unveiled a major expansion, adding three new rooftop dining and drinking venues, nine premium suites, and expanded wellness facilities including padel courts and an outdoor sauna.

Three new venues open across the 14th and 15th floors

The rooftop additions include Sister Moon, a restaurant from Chef Sam Grainger with hospitality collaborators Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford; The Nest, an agave-focused cocktail bar; and The Hideout, a speakeasy-style lounge with its own outdoor terrace. Sister Moon's menu blends British ingredients with Southeast Asian influences and open-fire cooking, featuring dishes such as red prawn toast with red curry bisque, Singapore chilli crab and lobster baked noodles, and an 80-day-aged beef ribeye.

Seattle – September 22, 2026 -- A whitefish sold in the freezer aisle of most major grocery stores is drawing new attention as a whole-food protein source, delivering 26 grams of complete protein per 3.5-ounce serving. Wild Alaska Sole, often labeled Wild Alaska Flounder in the U.S., comes from Alaskan waters and contains all nine essential amino acids the body cannot produce on its own.

The fish arrives as shoppers increasingly scrutinize where their protein comes from, not just how much of it they're eating. Many high-protein products on store shelves rely on soy or vegetable isolates, while Wild Alaska Sole offers protein in its natural, unprocessed form.

London – September 22, 2026 -- Fortrade is warning consumers about a fake website, fortradelimited.com, that has been contacting people while falsely claiming to be Fortrade Limited. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority published a warning about the site on August 17, 2026, confirming it is not authorised and has no connection to the genuine, FCA-regulated firm.

Chris Warburton, CEO of Fortrade, said clone firms rely on borrowing a legitimate company's name and reputation to make unsolicited contact feel credible. He said the best defense is making it easy for people to verify exactly who they are dealing with before responding.

Silver Spring, Md. – September 22, 2026 -- Travel booking platform Tripmasters has identified emerging patterns expected to shape independent travel in 2027, based on traveler search and booking data.

Travelers are shifting away from peak summer crowds

According to Skyscanner's Horizons research cited by Tripmasters, 34% of travelers plan to seek out quieter destinations in the coming year, while 31% intend to visit popular spots during shoulder seasons when crowds thin out. Another 26% say choosing less-touristy locations will help them save money.

Olathe, Kan. – September 22, 2026 -- Garmin has rolled out a free software update for several smartwatches and cycling computers, adding fall detection, hands-free voice commands and new training tools.

Venu 4 owners now get automatic fall detection

The feature, new to the Venu 4 smartwatch, sends a message with the wearer's live location to preset emergency contacts if a hard fall is detected. Users can turn on monitoring all day or limit it to specific activities. The feature requires pairing with a smartphone.

Users can now control watches by saying 'Okay, Garmin'

The update brings hands-free voice control to the fēnix 8 series, Forerunner 570, Forerunner 970, Venu 4 and vívoactive 6. Saying "Okay, Garmin" lets users start a timer, launch an activity or turn on a compatible watch's flashlight without touching a button. Saying "phone assistant" pulls up the virtual assistant on a paired smartphone.

Olathe – September 22, 2026 -- Garmin has launched a real-time racing solution that lets drivers see digital flag signals and track conditions directly from the cockpit, with a combined package priced at $1,699.99.

The system pairs Garmin's Catalyst 2 with MYLAPS flagging tech

The setup connects a Garmin Catalyst 2 driving performance optimizer to a MYLAPS X2 RaceLink Club on-board digital flagging device using an In-car Flagging Y-cable. At tracks equipped with MYLAPS race control technology, drivers can view live personal and track flag signals on the Catalyst 2's 3-inch LCD screen, covering conditions like weather changes, safety checks and recovery operations.