America Still Loves Pumpkin Spice — It’s Just Seeing Other Drinks Now

Pumpkin spice has had America wrapped around its little cinnamon-dusted finger for more than two decades. This year, though, that hold is starting to loosen. According to new trends, the beloved fall staple led latte searches in three states when stacked up against matcha and chai during the last week of August. That might not sound too shabby, until you remember that pumpkin spice had 48 states in its corner back in 2024. Still, the pumpkin spice latte is hardly yesterday's news. When the drink returned on August 25, Starbucks recorded its biggest fall menu launch ever in the U.S. and Canada, with foot traffic up 35% over a typical Tuesday. So yes, our eyes are wandering, but pumpkin spice can still pull a crowd. The new “it” drink is……well……green. Matcha is a creamy beverage made by mixing finely ground green tea powder with hot or iced milk and a sweetener. Matcha lattes have surged this year, driven by health-conscious Gen Zers who desire jitter-free energy. They’ve been a permanent fixture on the menu at Starbucks since 2019 but they're on the rise this year. Will they knock pumpkin spice lattes off their pedestal? Pumpkin spice is actually transitioning from a trendy novelty into a standard seasonal classic while consumers explore newer options.

 

 

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A Hungry Cleaning Lady Bit into an Apple and Solved the Case of a Legendary Diamond Heist

The presence of the Grand Condé diamond in the public eye was lost almost 100 years ago. Now, thanks to a hungry cleaning lady, it can be a part of new exhibitions. Back in 1926, Suzanne Schlitz was a chambermaid in Paris. Cleaning fine hotel rooms was exhausting business in the most-visited city of the age. Maybe that’s why she gave in to the urge to swipe an apple from the suitcase of one of the gentlemen whose room she was cleaning. Taking a bite, she was shocked when her teeth hit something solid. She stared down in disbelief. There lodged inside the apple was a pink gemstone the size of a lima bean. Schlitz had inadvertently solved the case of a most high profile heist at the Château de Chantilly. Two months earlier, a couple of amateur thieves stole the diamond and 74 other pieces of jewelry using nothing more than a ladder. Their problem was that they were unsuccessful in attempting to fence the loot. Valued at $3 million in the 1920s ($51 million today), the jewelry would only bring them a fraction of that amount. No jeweler or pawnbroker would touch many of the items because of their unique notoriety, especially something as famous as the Grand Condé diamond. Schlitz, of course, reported the discovery to police. Today, many more large pink diamonds exist, so Mathieu Deldicque, Chief Curator and Director of the Musée Condé invited gemologists from the School of Jewelry Arts of Paris to conduct extensive studies and scientific analysis on the stone’s chemical composition, rarity, clarity and density. In this way, a sort of identity card is created so that even if the stone were stolen, cut in half, or reshaped, its identity card would ensure that any jeweler or black market auctioneer would know what they had.

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Best Ever Newspaper Headlines

When it comes to newspaper headlines, they have one purpose: to quickly draw attention to a story and summarize its core message. While some newspapers are geared toward that purpose, others have only one goal in mind — to capture the attention of the reader. More times than not, it’s the headline that draws you in, even if only out of curiosity and even if you never read the entire article. There are unique headlines that not only grab our attention, but deserve the title “best ever headline.” Here are some of those very headlines:

END THIS CHICKEN OBSESSION, URGES FOX

The Times: A story about the UK's Trade Secretary Liam Fox’s talks in America and his frustration on the media’s focus on the somewhat unappetizing prospect of chlorinated chicken ending up on UK dinner plates was brilliantly headlined.

TRUMP SLIPS ON BAN APPEAL

Huffington Post: When the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a block on President Donald Trump's executive order that sought a 90-day travel ban to the U.S. for most nationals of six Muslim-majority nations. 

A WHOLE LATTE TROUBLE

The Washington Post used this pun describing former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's potential 2020 presidential run. 

GRAN THEFT AUTO

London Evening Standard's headline about an elderly woman and her male accomplice making a slow-speed getaway on a stolen mobility scooter in New Cross Gate, London.

THE BANNED PLAYED ON

A bittersweet story in London’s The Guardian about musicians defying the Taliban. 

WHERE THERE’S MUCK, THERE’S BRAS

The Guardian adorned a tale of a British farmer diversifying into mail-order lingerie.

ARIZONA PSYCHIC HIT BY CAR SAYS HE NEVER SAW IT COMING

This story was a headline writer’s dream, but you still have to hand it to the people at Arizona's The Republic newspaper for making the most of the opportunity. Fortunately, Blair Robertson lived to tell the tale despite the untimely lapse in his psychic powers.

HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR

This memorable headline was for a New York Post article on the grizzly murder of a topless bar owner in the Bronx.

SNEEZY? GRUMPY? IF YOU VISIT DISNEY, USE SANITIZER

The Sentinel during the time of the H1N1 scare wrote about how Disney stepped up its efforts to prevent it in its theme parks.

ZZ BLOWS HIS TOP

The Express headline after Zinedine Zidane was sent off for a headbutt in the World Cup final.

 

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Never Buy Bananas If You See This Red Flag

Though there have been a lot of safety recalls lately, this warning is not about safety. It’s a money-saving tip that many people have learned the hard way. If you have a family who goes through a lot of bananas in a week, this tip is for you. Bananas need to be bright yellow and not mushy, so most people gravitate toward the “almost ripe” option. Normally that works perfectly, but there’s one red flag you should be on the lookout for. If you see bananas that have a dull, flat appearance, looking a little gray rather than yellow, avoid them. Bananas are climacteric fruits, which means they continue to ripen after they're picked. Stores rely on this natural ripening to ensure that bananas picked when they're green turn into bright yellow, sweet bananas before they make it to your shopping cart. However, if green bananas are exposed to temperatures below 56º F for long enough, they can become victims of what’s known as a “chilling injury,” which can disrupt or even halt the ripening process. They may fail to turn yellow, and the peel can develop a dull, grayish color. If you discover that you’ve picked this type of banana, don’t worry. Just pop them in a 350º F oven for about 15 minutes and their natural sweetness will be restored enough for you to use them to make banana bread.

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