Check out some of December’s new releases on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more! From behind the scenes of the most popular holiday movies to an eagerly awaited Pixar film, check them out!

Soul

Where to Watch: Disney+

Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before in this eagerly awaited Pixar film. 

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Where to Watch: Netflix

Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson’s famous play, it marks one of Chadwick Boseman’s final performances.

The Hardy Boys

Where to Watch: Hulu

After a family tragedy strikes, Frank Hardy, 16, and his brother Joe, 12, are forced to move from the big city to their parent’s hometown of Bridgeport for the summer. Staying with their aunt, the boy’s quiet summer quickly comes to a halt when they discover their dad, detective Fenton Hardy, has taken on a secret investigation.

The Holiday Movies That Made Us

Where to Watch: Netflix

Unwrap the real stories behind these iconic Christmas blockbusters, thanks to insider interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks.

 

There’s no wrong way to decorate for the holidays, but having some tips from the best and the brightest tastemakers can definitely help you bring the joy home in style. We asked some of our favorite interior designers how they spruce up their homes for the holidays and where they find inspiration so you can follow their very stylish leads. Ahead, discover how these decorators deck their halls for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and even just general winter cheer.

Incorporate family memories.

Always start fresh.

Remember scents are important.

**CONTENT SOURCED FROM HOUSE BEAUTIFUL**

 

The U.S. economy added 245,000 new jobs in November – The Department of Labor Statistics reported that employers added 245,000 new jobs in November. That was a disappointing result as analysts expected the economy to add 445,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.7% in November, down from 6.9% in October. Stocks markets up again this week – Expectations of a $900+ billion stimulus deal sent stocks higher this week. Investors were able to overlook a new series of shutdowns, stay at home orders, and a disappointing November jobs report, on hopes of a long-awaited stimulus package. The Dow closed the week at 30,218.26, a record high and up 1.0% from 29,910.37 last week. It’s up 5.9% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 3,699.12, up 1.7% from 3,638.35 last week. It is up 14.5% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 12,464.23, up 2.1% from 12,205.85 last week. It’s up 38.9% year-to-date. U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 0.97%, up from 0.84% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 1.73%, up from 1.57% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates often follow treasury bond yields. Mortgage rates – The December 3, 2020, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 2.71%, almost unchanged from 2.72% last week. The 15-year fixed was 2.26% down slightly from 2.28% last week. The 5-year ARM was 2.86% down from 3.18% last week.

With another Stay at Home Order in place, it is important to stay entertained while at home. Here are a few things you can do at home that are fun for the entire family!

Karaoke  

If you’re usually wary of the karaoke crowds, now’s the time to choose (and ace) your go-to belter. Yet to decide? No fret – we’ve assembled a list of the best karaoke songs ever, from raucous party songs you can sing while tipsy to tender love songs for serenading your boo. Karaoke versions of all of them are widely available online.

Host a virtual murder mystery

Just when you thought Cluedo-style mysteries would be limited to figuring out who got into your stash of quarantine snacks, UK company Red Herring Games has come through. Describing itself as offering ‘the best in murder mystery entertainment’, Red Herring’s multilayered games can now be adapted for virtual gatherings with the assistance of Zoom or Google Hangouts. We recommend the ‘Great British Bump Off’.

Watch every single one of Shakespeare’s plays

Cut through the gloom with the words of a man who knew a thing or two about plagues: Mr William Shakespeare. ‘The Show Must Go Online’ is a digital project led by classical actor and director Robert Myles that aims to bring The Bard’s words to life by reading them out loud at a time when conventional live performance is verboten. Professional actors and experienced amateurs are invited to sign up to do a weekly reading, and the public can follow along on YouTube. They’re going through all his plays from A to Z.

Sign up for a free happiness class

As the world around us changes on a daily, almost hourly, basis, we’re all facing some new anxieties. That’s where world-famous Ivy League university Yale comes in. They’ve shared their most popular course, The Science of Well Being, online, for free, wherever you are in the world. Following psychologist Laurie Santos’ ten-week seminar series, you’ll learn how to increase your happiness, debunk myths about what makes us content and ultimately create better, more productive habits.

With another Stay at Home order in place, it is important to support small business restaurants if you are choosing to place an order for takeout. Check out our list of a few in Los Angeles and the Valley.

Oasis Restaurant

Located: 6024 Hazeltine Ave, Los Angeles, CA 91401

A hidden gem that has recently opened its doors in the Valley Glen and Van Nuys area that is open for take out.

Lure Fish House

Located: 30970 Russell Ranch Rd, Westlake Village, CA 91362

A fish house located in the Valley with some of the freshest findings you can get in Southern California.

Moody Rooster

Located: 2891 Agoura Rd Westlake Village, CA 91361

A spot known for their burrata, fennel sausage pasta, and spicy Dungeness crab pasta. Never misses a beat, even with takeout!

Bianca

Located: 8850 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

A local and family-owned French Restaurant known for its incredible pastries and stunning dishes.

Supremo

Located: 901 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

An Italian restaurant that is located in an unassuming mini-mall that serves some of the most authentic Italian food you can find in LA. Portions are generous and takeout fares well from this place.

Pine & Crane

Located: 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Family-owned, this Taiwanese spot checks all the boxes and satisfies all cravings. From their crispy scallion pancakes to dumplings and Dan Dan noodles, this place is a MUST to support.

 

Check out some of December’s new releases on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more! From Wonder Woman 1984 to the long-awaited Selena Documentary, entertainment from the comfort of your own home has never been better. 

Let Them All Talk 

Where to Watch: HBO Max 

Steven Soderbergh’s new comedy film will be the talk of the town with its A-list cast that includes Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest, Gemma Chan and Lucas Hedges. 

Blackbird

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Lily summons her daughters Jennifer and Anna for one final family reunion as she looks to end her battle with a terminal illness.

A League of their Own

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

There’s no crying in baseball. This dramedy is based on the real-life experiences of the All-American Girls Baseball League.

Amy Winehouse: A Final Goodbye

Where to Watch: Hulu

This documentary is an intimate look into the life of Amy Winehouse, who rose to fame as she battled the demons which eventually led to her death at the age of 27

 

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. With that in mind, we wanted to dedicate this week’s home tips to giving! Check out some things you can do to celebrate Giving Tuesday this whole week. It is the time to be thankful and help where we can!

DONATE ITEMS

Go through your pantry, closet, and home — clear out any unwanted items. Great places to donate are Goodwill, Baby2Baby, and Salvation Army.

DONATE MONEY

Donate to your favorite charity– just make sure you look into how their money is spent so that you know exactly where your dollar is going.

DONATE TIME

Donate time at your favorite organization. Volunteer at the soup kitchen, shelter, or animal rescue.

 

Stock markets soared in November – Investor’s drove stock market indexes to record highs in November. The rally was fueled by positive news from several vaccine trials revealing that some of the vaccines were 90-95% effective. The FDA indicated that an emergency approval of at least two vaccines would allow people to start to be vaccinated in the coming weeks. This drove stocks even higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the month at 29,638.64, up 11.8% from 26,501.60 last month. The S&P 500 closed the month at 3,621.63, up 10.8% from 3,269.96 last month. The NASDAQ closed the month at 12,198.74, up 11.8% from 10,911.59 last month. U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the month yielding 0.84%, down from 0.88%, last month. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the month at 1.58%, down from 1.65% last month. Mortgage rates – The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey released on November 25, 2020 reported mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 2.72%, down from 2.81% last month. The 15-year fixed was 2.28%, down from 2.32% last month. The 5-year ARM was 3.18%, up from 2.88% last month. October Job gains beat expectations -The Department of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. economy added 638,000 new jobs in October. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.9% in October from 7.9% in September. These numbers beat analysts’ expectations of 530,000 new jobs and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. It should also be noted that private employers added 906,000 jobs, but 268,000 government jobs were lost in October. That included 147,000 census workers that were hired to complete the census count, which is now concluded. November figures will be released Friday. Home sale data is released on the third week of each month for the following month. Below are October’s results. Existing-home sales and prices continue to soar in October – The California Association of Realtors reported that existing, single-family home sales totaled 484,510 on an annualized basis in October. That represented a year over year increase of 19.5% from the number of homes sold in October 2019. The median price paid for a home in California was $711,300, up 17.5% from the median price last October. Inventory levels were lower than one year ago. There was just a two-month supply of homes for sale in October. That is unchanged from September, as new listings also increased to meet demand. One year ago, the unsold inventory index stood at a 3-month supply. Below please find regional statistics for Southern California. U.S. Existing-home sales climb in October – The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales in October rose 4.3% month-over-month from September and rose 26.6% year-over-year from the number of homes sold in October 2019. The median price paid for a home increased 15.5% from one year ago. That marked the 104th straight month of year-over-year increases in the median price. The inventory level in the United States was 1.42 million homes, a 2.5-month supply. That’s a record low. There was a 2.7-month supply last month and a 3.9-month supply in October 2019.

Want to impress your family with your cooking skills? Check out these foolproof recipes that will leave your family begging for the recipe!

New York Times Olive Oil Cake 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup/240 milliliters good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar, plus about 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 ¼ cups/295 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan using extra-virgin olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Oil the parchment and flour the pan, shaking out any excess flour.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer set on high, beat the sugar, eggs, and lemon zest until very thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and beat until incorporated, another 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add milk and lemon juice. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top using an offset spatula and sprinkle the top with about 2 tablespoons sugar.
4. Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to release the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate and then flip it back over onto the rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Bon Apetit Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Warm Honey Glaze

Ingredients

Here are some of the best games to play with the family over the weekend in person or over video call if you both purchase the games separately!

Cards Against Humanity Family Edition 

Play the family edition with the younger ones in your family and fill in the blanks for a night full of laughs.

Scrabble 

A classic to play with the family! Challenge your brain and create some words!

We Are Really Not Strangers 

Get closer to your family and answer some thought-provoking action cards.

What Do You Meme

Create the funniest meme to match text with images!