Kanazawa – – September 30, 2026 -- Roughly 40 vendors will gather at Shiinoki Ryokuchi park in Kanazawa, Japan, for the two-day KANAZAWA Oishii Festa 2026, running Saturday, October 17 through Sunday, October 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year's theme centers on fermented food, with 23 food vendors serving dishes made exclusively for the event under the banner "Local Ingredients and Fermentation." Dishes will feature Kaga vegetables, heirloom varieties grown in the region since before 1945, alongside local seafood, all flavored with Ōno soy sauce brewed in Kanazawa's Ōno district since the early 1600s and Kaga miso made with rice koji.

Visitors Can Sample Local Sake, Craft Beer and Original Cocktails

The drink lineup includes sake from Kanazawa, craft beer and original cocktails, giving attendees the option to eat their way through the festival or simply relax on the lawn.

Dallas – September 30, 2026 -- Slate Auto is letting buyers of its $24,950 pickup wrap their vehicle in Monster Jam livery, starting today with two new accessory Starter Packs.

Two designs bring arena spectacle to daily driving

The purple and green Grave Digger Starter Pack draws on the famous monster truck's colors, while a black and yellow Monster Jam Starter Pack reflects the motorsport series' branding. Each pack includes a full vehicle wrap, wheel wraps, a grille logo wrap, and decals, built for the Slate Truck's factory design as the first vehicle intended to be wrapped from the ground up.

Buyers can mix individual pieces instead of full kits

Slate is also selling standalone accessories: a two-piece decal set, a five-piece Slatelet set combining Monster Jam and Grave Digger icons, and key fob caps in either logo. Customers can order the Starter Packs outright or assemble their own combination of pieces.

Malmö – September 30, 2026 -- Swedish rug company Rugvista has launched Woven Stories, a new collection of 14 designs in 21 colour variations, available now at rugvista.com.

The designs draw on faded colours and worn textures to mimic decades-old craftsmanship.

Developed in-house by Rugvista's design team in Malmö, the collection uses subtle irregularities and tactile surfaces to give new rugs a sense of history. The goal is a look that feels collected over time rather than bought all at once.

Matilda Lundgren, Chief Design Officer at Rugvista, said the team wanted to translate worn surfaces and traditional techniques into rugs that still feel relevant in modern homes.

Hoi An – September 30, 2026 -- Hotel Royal Hoi An – The Legacy By The River has been named Vietnam's Leading Riverfront Hotel 2026 at the World Travel Awards 2026.

The hotel sits along the Thu Bon River in the heart of Hoi An

The property was recognised for its riverside setting, distinctive sense of place and commitment to creating meaningful guest experiences in the central Vietnamese destination. Art-inspired interiors and design details throughout the hotel connect directly to Hoi An's cultural heritage.

The hotel's design draws on a real Vietnam-Japan love story

The property's narrative is built around the historic relationship between Vietnam and Japan, told through the story of Vietnamese Princess Ngoc Hoa and Japanese merchant Sotaro Araki. This heritage theme runs through the hotel's history, art and architecture.

Chengde – September 30, 2026 -- The Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race wrapped Sunday as the penultimate and final points-scoring stop of the 2026 SALOMON Golden Trail World Series before the season-ending Grand Final. Thirty-six elite runners lined up on the ancient stone course, one of the strongest international fields ever assembled for a race in China.

Founded by SALOMON in 2018, the Golden Trail World Series stages short, fast races on landmark terrain with the sport's top athletes. This marked the second year the series has returned to the Great Wall, and the third season overall for SALOMON's racing project in China.

Los Angeles – September 30, 2026 -- Comfytemp has launched what it calls the market's first electric heating patch designed specifically for period cramps, giving women a reusable, wearable alternative to bulky heating pads and single-use disposable patches.

The patch targets the lower abdomen and lower back with electric warmth

The compact device delivers targeted heat to areas commonly associated with menstrual discomfort. Unlike traditional heating pads, which require users to stay near an outlet or remain in one position, the patch is built for movement.

It aims to solve the portability-versus-reusability tradeoff

Disposable menstrual heating patches let users move freely but must be replaced after each use. Comfytemp's version combines that portability with electric heating technology in a reusable format, letting women wear it during work, commuting, travel, or exercise.

Oceanside, Calif. – September 30, 2026 -- GUNNAR Optiks has launched the Ojai Vision Recovery System, a $99 wearable designed to help screen-heavy users decompress in a single 10-minute session, available now at GUNNAR.com and select retail partners.

The device combines heat, compression and vibration in a foldable mask

Ojai delivers rhythmic air compression around the eyes, gentle heat at approximately 43°C (109°F), and vibration across five customizable recovery modes. It includes built-in Bluetooth audio for music, podcasts or guided relaxation, and a full-blackout design meant to block ambient light entirely. The unit folds for storage and recharges for repeat use at home, in the office or while traveling.

Portland, Maine – September 30, 2026 -- The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has opened applications for three fellowship programs aimed at first-generation and Pell-eligible college students seeking to study or intern abroad in 2027. CIEE awards more than $13 million annually in grants and scholarships for international study and internships.

Thirteen students head to Dublin for an eight-week paid internship

The Douglass-O'Connell Global Internship Program, established in 2015 and sponsored by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs, the African American Irish Diaspora Network, and The John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, sends 13 Pell-eligible students to Dublin each year. The program covers full funding, airfare, and a living stipend, and includes lectures and excursions tied to the historical friendship between Frederick Douglass and Daniel O'Connell. Applications close January 8, 2027.

Kobe – September 30, 2026 -- ASICS has issued what it calls the world's first conservation warning for human movement, after new research found people report spending 86% of their waking day not moving.

The Japanese sportswear brand released the findings ahead of World Mental Health Day, alongside a short nature documentary titled Human Nature, narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver. The film explores how sofas, screens and modern convenience are quietly replacing everyday movement.

More than half of adults fail to meet activity guidelines today

The global study, conducted in July 2026 among 34,000 people across 31 countries, found 53% of adults are not meeting recommended physical activity guidelines. ASICS worked with experts, including Professor Brendon Stubbs, to create a Movement Conservation Status, classifying weekly activity as active, at risk, or endangered based on WHO and national health guidelines.

Rigby, Idaho – September 29, 2026 -- Sellers weighing how much to ask for their home in a shifting market should look beyond a single number, according to a new article from HelloNation featuring insights from Ted Whyte, a real estate expert at Century 21 High Desert serving the Upper Snake River Valley, Idaho.

The article argues that an effective pricing strategy starts with recent comparable sales but doesn't stop there.

Recent comparable sales carry more weight than older transactions in a changing market

Useful comparisons typically share location, size, age, style, and features with the home being priced. Because conditions can shift quickly, recent sales often provide more relevant evidence than transactions from months earlier.