Around Town: Pinwheel Project fundraiser for foster kids comes to Fashion Island
Hosted by Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA OC) for the ninth year in a row, 2,915 colorful pinwheels will be 'planted' across the lawn, each one representing a child in the foster care system. Guests can donate $10 to sponsor a pinwheel, funding advocacy and support efforts on behalf of foster children.
Those who purchase a pinwheel will receive a voucher for a discounted $40 family meal from ZOOD. For details and to sponsor a pinwheel, visit casaoc.org/pinwheel or visit Fashion Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, during the event.
The Costa Mesa Historical Society invites local history buffs to attend the nonprofit's 3rd annual Spring Social Luncheon at the Costa Mesa Women's Club on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This year, members will be 'Celebrating Dates,' — significant milestone commemorations coming up in Costa Mesa and beyond in the year ahead, including the Society's own 60th anniversary. Participants can feast on Greek cuisine provided by Costa Mesa restaurant My Greek Kitchen while they learn more about key dates in the city's past.
A $25 donation includes one catered meal and helps the Historical Society upgrade its museum with a new 65-inch SMART TV and sound bar. The Costa Mesa Women's Club is located at 610 W. 18th St. RSVP by May 19 at CostaMesaHistory.org.
Now that school's out, the professional American Coast Theater Company will take the stage at Vanguard University's Lyceum Theater in Costa Mesa with two upcoming productions.
'The Importance of Being Earnest — a Wilde New Musical!' is adapted from the classic mistaken-identity comedy by Oscar Wilde and features a five-piece band/orchestra. Performances run through June 8 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and weekend matinees at 2 p.m.
Later in June, ACTC presents Arthur Miller's classic award-winning drama, 'Death of a Salesman,' directed by Chance Theater's Executive Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen. The play introduces Willy Loman, an unsuccessful salesman whose pursuit of the American Dream leads to tragedy for himself and his family.
'Death of a Salesman' previews June 19 at 7:30 p.m. and continues through June 29 with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday through Saturday, plus 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday with a special two-for-one ticket offer Wednesday, June 25.
Lyceum Theater at Vanguard University is located at 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Admission costs $20-$30. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit americancoasttheater.com
Customers served by Costa Mesa Sanitary District are invited to attend a free drive-thru compost giveaway and shredding event on May 31, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Orange Coast College's Lot K, 2701 Fairview Road, in Costa Mesa.
In addition to receiving up to two backs of compost while supplies last, participants can also drop off up to five standard file boxes of paper per household. Kitchen pails will also be available while supplies last. Services and giveaways are available only to customers with proof of residence, such as a driver's license, ID or utility bill.
For more, visit cmsdca.gov or call (949) 645-8400 during regular business hours.
The Laguna Beach Chamber Singers announced this week it is accepting audition submissions for its upcoming 2025-2026 season. The group rehearses on Tuesday evenings in Laguna Beach.
Those with an interest in joining the Chamber Singers are asked to submit a short video recording by May 31. This can be of a recent solo performance or a simple melody. Videos must be uploaded and the audition form completed at lbchambersingers.org/join by the deadline.
Selected applicants will be invited to an in-person audition day in Laguna Beach, which includes a group rehearsal and quartet singing. Results of the audition will be announced approximately three weeks later. For more information, contact ryan@lbchambersingers.org.
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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kylan Darnell went viral during Bama Rush. Now, she's ready to talk about the toll it took.
On Aug. 6, 2022, Kylan Darnell, then a freshman at the University of Alabama, woke up with excited jitters. It was the first day of sorority recruitment, a milestone that she says felt like the start of adult life. Dressed in a carefully curated outfit — Gucci patterned shorts, a Zara top and a stack of Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Kendra Scott bracelets — she hit 'record' from her dorm room, posting an outfit video that launched her into virality. It marked the beginning of her persona as a sorority girl, one that would come to define her online brand once she joined Zeta Tau Alpha at the school. 'Hey y'all, today is the first day of Bama Rush and I am so excited,' Darnell shared in a TikTok as she walked through her outfit of the day, or #OOTD. 'I'm so excited for this new chapter of my life and I hope you stay tuned with me.' Nearly four years and more than a million followers later, Darnell has become the face of 'Rush Tok,' the nickname for the corner of the internet documenting sorority recruitment. But behind the brand deals, designer outfits and elaborate costumes, the process was taking a toll. 'When I did essentially get famous online, I was really vulnerable,' Darnell says. 'I didn't really know how to navigate it… I tried my best to be absolutely perfect.' Over the years, she's figured out ways to manage the pressure. But this year, some of the online negativity she faced crossed the line. In an Aug. 11 video, Darnell shared with her followers that she was taking a break from the recruitment process to focus on her mental health. 'I'm in a mental health spot where I've been struggling,' Darnell said in the recent video. 'I won't lie to you guys about it, like, I've just not been enjoying it…. if I was to go on there and show these outfits and like, keep going, I would be lying to you guys and myself.' More: The Bama Rush obsession is real: Inside the phenomena of OOTDs, sorority recruitment Navigating online fame at a young age The video sparked discourse about Darnell's journey as a public figure and a wider conversation about the rush experience. Sorority recruitment, or rush, is a multi-day process at colleges across the country where young women interested in joining a sorority meet current members of Greek organizations with the hope of receiving an invitation to join a chapter. The intensity and experience varies by school, but the ones that tend to go viral highlight over-the-top dance routines, packed schedules and make-it-or-break-it outfits. The sorority recruitment process was thrust into the spotlight with the rise of #RushTok — a TikTok trend that took off in 2021, largely centered around the University of Alabama. Girls like Darnell went viral by posting OOTDs for each round, dramatic Bid Day reveals, and later, behind-the-scenes glimpses of life inside their sorority houses. The phenomenon inspired a 2023 HBO Max documentary on the process and a new Lifetime special, "A Sorority Mom's Guide to Rush!" When Darnell posted that initial OOTD video, she didn't expect to be placed 'on a pedestal.' Years of pageants and dance recitals had prepared her for sorority life, but as the first woman in her family to enter the rush process, she says she went in 'completely clueless' about social media guidelines or the reputations between different houses. 'Whenever I go back and watch the rush videos, I kind of want to cry every time I watch them, because I look so scared,' Darnell says. Recruitment days are often in scorching temperatures, and might start as early as 7 or 8 a.m. after schedules are released for the day. Many girls bring rush bags from house to house full of the essentials — mints, bobby pins, dry shampoo, hairspray, oil blotting sheets, perfume, fans, portable phone chargers, Advil, floss and deodorant. 'It's very exhausting,' says sorority rush consultant Trisha Addicks. 'You have to process what sororities you're invited back to, also process some disappointment, a lot of times, and get ready to go and be positive and open minded for eight hours.' Addicks says the rush process can take a toll on one's self esteem. She still remembers when she first rushed a sorority in 1986 at the University of Georgia and opened up her Bid Day envelope to find out that no house accepted her. She ultimately joined a sorority the following year after rushing again. 'I was devastated,' Addicks says, adding those feelings stayed with her years later. 'I felt isolated. I was embarrassed; I was crying.' More: New, unscripted sorority rush show drops Aug. 11. Here's how to watch. 'What's online is not always the clear picture' When Addicks went through recruitment, girls lined up in a hallway to open their bids, learning about each sorority's reputation, and who eventually accepted which bid, through word of mouth. Now, choreographed dance videos and Hollywood-level productions, complete with brand partnerships, props, and elaborate costumes, bring millions of viewers into the process. Bid day videos capture young women squealing and crying with joy as they rip open their envelopes and sprint down sorority row to their new homes. Their captions amplify the day's excitement: 'BEST DAY OF MY LIFE,' says one video. 'HOME AT LAST AT PHI MU,' reads another. 'only the best go AXO,' another declares, sporting the sorority's hand signs. 'What makes the sting of rejection so much worse and the feelings of inadequacy and all of that, is because you're seeing other people on social media so excited, so happy, living their best lives, even though we all know that what's online is not always the clear picture,' Addicks says. Darnell says her experience was so genuine because she went in without preconceived notions, and she worries TikTok could set up unrealistic expectations for girls going through the same process. 'I feel bad because I've had so many girls in my DMs through the years text me and say, 'Hey, I'm gonna go to University of Alabama because of you, I've seen some of your videos, it looks so much fun, I want to live the way that you're living '' Darnell shared in a TikTok. In some ways, Darnell is reliving that process again through her younger sister Izzy, a freshman at the University of Alabama who shared her recruitment journey online throughout the week before ultimately revealing she dropped out of the process. Unlike her older sister, Izzy is coming into college with more than a million followers, upping the online scrutiny she's facing. Darnell shared that part of her decision to step back from rush was influenced by the negativity her younger sister was facing online. 'It's hard to watch any family member get picked on,' Darnell says. 'I started to become a mama bear, and I really had to take a step back and be like, 'OK, this is your process, not mine.'' There was a point in Darnell's life where her whole personality was her sorority, but as a senior, she's looking ahead to life after college. She hopes to pursue sports broadcasting. Online, it's been harder to separate her brand from sorority life. When she took a step back from posting Greek life content last year, rumors swirled that she had dropped Zeta, which she clarified is not the case. In recent days, users online have flooded Zeta social media accounts with comments asking about Darnell, to the point where Darnell asked the sorority's social media manager to delete comments. 'People thought that they were supporting me, but they didn't get that by going and commenting negative things on my friends pages, that just makes it awkward between us,' Darnell says. 'I had to take a step back after that.' If she could go back in time, 'I would tell my freshman self to really take it in and to appreciate being a freshman in college, but I would also tell myself to not take everything to heart,' Darnell says. 'Now I'm more comfortable in my own skin, I've learned so much about myself. I've got a different level of confidence than I had back then.' Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sorority star Kylan Darnell was a RushTok sensation. It took a toll Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Kylan Darnell went viral during Bama Rush. Now, she's ready to talk about the toll it took.
On Aug. 6, 2022, Kylan Darnell, then a freshman at the University of Alabama, woke up with excited jitters. It was the first day of sorority recruitment, a milestone that she says felt like the start of adult life. Dressed in a carefully curated outfit — Gucci patterned shorts, a Zara top and a stack of Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Kendra Scott bracelets — she hit 'record' from her dorm room, posting an outfit video that launched her into virality. It marked the beginning of her persona as a sorority girl, one that would come to define her online brand once she joined Zeta Tau Alpha at the school. 'Hey y'all, today is the first day of Bama Rush and I am so excited,' Darnell shared in a TikTok as she walked through her outfit of the day, or #OOTD. 'I'm so excited for this new chapter of my life and I hope you stay tuned with me.' Nearly four years and more than a million followers later, Darnell has become the face of 'Rush Tok,' the nickname for the corner of the internet documenting sorority recruitment. But behind the brand deals, designer outfits and elaborate costumes, the process was taking a toll. 'When I did essentially get famous online, I was really vulnerable,' Darnell says. 'I didn't really know how to navigate it… I tried my best to be absolutely perfect.' Over the years, she's figured out ways to manage the pressure. But this year, some of the online negativity she faced crossed the line. In an Aug. 11 video, Darnell shared with her followers that she was taking a break from the recruitment process to focus on her mental health. 'I'm in a mental health spot where I've been struggling,' Darnell said in the recent video. 'I won't lie to you guys about it, like, I've just not been enjoying it…. if I was to go on there and show these outfits and like, keep going, I would be lying to you guys and myself.' Taking a break, Love yall! #BamaRush #bamarushtok #bama More: The Bama Rush obsession is real: Inside the phenomena of OOTDs, sorority recruitment Navigating online fame at a young age The video sparked discourse about Darnell's journey as a public figure and a wider conversation about the rush experience. Sorority recruitment, or rush, is a multi-day process at colleges across the country where young women interested in joining a sorority meet current members of Greek organizations with the hope of receiving an invitation to join a chapter. The intensity and experience varies by school, but the ones that tend to go viral highlight over-the-top dance routines, packed schedules and make-it-or-break-it outfits. The sorority recruitment process was thrust into the spotlight with the rise of #RushTok — a TikTok trend that took off in 2021, largely centered around the University of Alabama. Girls like Darnell went viral by posting OOTDs for each round, dramatic Bid Day reveals, and later, behind-the-scenes glimpses of life inside their sorority houses. The phenomenon inspired a 2023 HBO Max documentary on the process and a new Lifetime special, "A Sorority Mom's Guide to Rush!" When Darnell posted that initial OOTD video, she didn't expect to be placed 'on a pedestal.' Years of pageants and dance recitals had prepared her for sorority life, but as the first woman in her family to enter the rush process, she says she went in 'completely clueless' about social media guidelines or the reputations between different houses. 'Whenever I go back and watch the rush videos, I kind of want to cry every time I watch them, because I look so scared,' Darnell says. Recruitment days are often in scorching temperatures, and might start as early as 7 or 8 a.m. after schedules are released for the day. Many girls bring rush bags from house to house full of the essentials — mints, bobby pins, dry shampoo, hairspray, oil blotting sheets, perfume, fans, portable phone chargers, Advil, floss and deodorant. 'It's very exhausting,' says sorority rush consultant Trisha Addicks. 'You have to process what sororities you're invited back to, also process some disappointment, a lot of times, and get ready to go and be positive and open minded for eight hours.' Addicks says the rush process can take a toll on one's self esteem. She still remembers when she first rushed a sorority in 1986 at the University of Georgia and opened up her Bid Day envelope to find out that no house accepted her. She ultimately joined a sorority the following year after rushing again. 'I was devastated,' Addicks says, adding those feelings stayed with her years later. 'I felt isolated. I was embarrassed; I was crying.' More: New, unscripted sorority rush show drops Aug. 11. Here's how to watch. 'What's online is not always the clear picture' When Addicks went through recruitment, girls lined up in a hallway to open their bids, learning about each sorority's reputation, and who eventually accepted which bid, through word of mouth. Now, choreographed dance videos and Hollywood-level productions, complete with brand partnerships, props, and elaborate costumes, bring millions of viewers into the process. RAIN OR SHINE, WE'RE GETTING SET FOR PC 25 💝👏💃 WORK WEEK DAY TWO!!! #RUSHAPHI #UGA #RECRUITMENT #RUSHTOK #ALPHAPHI #ATHENSGA Bid day videos capture young women squealing and crying with joy as they rip open their envelopes and sprint down sorority row to their new homes. Their captions amplify the day's excitement: 'BEST DAY OF MY LIFE,' says one video. 'HOME AT LAST AT PHI MU,' reads another. 'only the best go AXO,' another declares, sporting the sorority's hand signs. Never been happier #bama #banarush #bamarushtok 'What makes the sting of rejection so much worse and the feelings of inadequacy and all of that, is because you're seeing other people on social media so excited, so happy, living their best lives, even though we all know that what's online is not always the clear picture,' Addicks says. Darnell says her experience was so genuine because she went in without preconceived notions, and she worries TikTok could set up unrealistic expectations for girls going through the same process. 'I feel bad because I've had so many girls in my DMs through the years text me and say, 'Hey, I'm gonna go to University of Alabama because of you, I've seen some of your videos, it looks so much fun, I want to live the way that you're living '' Darnell shared in a TikTok. In some ways, Darnell is reliving that process again through her younger sister Izzy, a freshman at the University of Alabama who shared her recruitment journey online throughout the week before ultimately revealing she dropped out of the process. Unlike her older sister, Izzy is coming into college with more than a million followers, upping the online scrutiny she's facing. Darnell shared that part of her decision to step back from rush was influenced by the negativity her younger sister was facing online. 'It's hard to watch any family member get picked on,' Darnell says. 'I started to become a mama bear, and I really had to take a step back and be like, 'OK, this is your process, not mine.'' There was a point in Darnell's life where her whole personality was her sorority, but as a senior, she's looking ahead to life after college. She hopes to pursue sports broadcasting. Online, it's been harder to separate her brand from sorority life. When she took a step back from posting Greek life content last year, rumors swirled that she had dropped Zeta, which she clarified is not the case. In recent days, users online have flooded Zeta social media accounts with comments asking about Darnell, to the point where Darnell asked the sorority's social media manager to delete comments. 'People thought that they were supporting me, but they didn't get that by going and commenting negative things on my friends pages, that just makes it awkward between us,' Darnell says. 'I had to take a step back after that.' If she could go back in time, 'I would tell my freshman self to really take it in and to appreciate being a freshman in college, but I would also tell myself to not take everything to heart,' Darnell says. 'Now I'm more comfortable in my own skin, I've learned so much about myself. I've got a different level of confidence than I had back then.' Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher thinks we've ‘lost the plot' with this health trend: ‘Don't lie to yourself'
Hold the cottage cheese. Pro rugby player Ilona Maher — whose team won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics — spends plenty of time training to dominate on the pitch. But there's one fitness-focused diet trend that she thinks is a bit over-the-top — and she points to herself as evidence that it's unnecessary. 3 Pro rugby player Ilona Maher thinks the obession with protein has gone a bit off the rails. AP A former athlete herself, Kylie Kelce complained about how 'everything is trying to be high protein' on a June episode of her podcast, Not Gonna Lie, arguing that not everything needs added protein powder. Maher was on the same page, and she's no fan of a low-carb lifestyle either. 'I have a high-protein diet, but I also have probably the highest-carb diet ever,' the 29-year-old Bristol Bears player said. 'I was raised on very high-carb diets. And carbs are really the energy that you need — that's science, truly.' That isn't to say she doesn't eat protein too. 'I get protein in for most meals, but I'm actually not as committed to the bit as I maybe could be. I think I could be leaner … if I was really focusing on protein. But I just don't see — I think I'm fine,' she added. A big issue for both women is the trend of swapping 'real' food for protein-heavy substitutes. In recent years, for example, cottage cheese recipes have blown up on social media, with people using it in place of cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta and even mayo and butter. It's low in fat and high in protein, a combo that can keep you full, increase metabolism and preserve muscle mass. Plus, the curdling process creates bacteria that are good for your gut. 3 Maher, whose team won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics, eats protein most meals — but she's not swapping 'real food' for protein-ified recipes. Getty Images But Kelce said her concern is people blending up cottage cheese and pretending it tastes like ice cream. 'Don't lie to yourself,' Maher added in agreement. 'I saw a recent one, it was like protein tiramisu. She dips the rice cake in espresso and then she puts Greek yogurt on there. I was like, that's not even f—-ing close!' 'I think we really lost the plot on that,' she said. Though she is working to eat more protein at the urging of her dietitian, for her that means more 'real food.' 'So after training I'll have a quick protein shake — that's very easy, quick protein. But if I can, I'm gonna have the eggs. I love like beef jerky,' she said. 3 'I saw a recent one, it was like protein tiramisu. She dips the rice cake in espresso and then she puts Greek yogurt on there. I was like, that's not even f—-ing close!' she said. Getty Images 'I just think, I mean maybe I'm wrong in science, but I don't know if we need that much. Because I'm doing fine and I just had a bagel this morning.' She's not the first star to take issue with the high-protein craze. This month, Bethenny Frankel also called out the fad. 'The obsession with protein is an out-of-control fad that everyday people are fixated on as if they're training for the Olympics,' she told The Post. 'They can also be calorie-dense. It's another marketing gimmick like keto or carnivore or low carb or all the absurd fads I've witnessed over the years. Balance is key.' In fact, studies show that there is such a thing as eating too much protein — and it can make you gain weight and clog your arteries. 'Consuming excessive protein, particularly from animal sources, raises insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels,' Dr. Joseph Antoun, CEO of the longevity company L-Nutra, previously told The Post. Primarily produced in the liver, IGF-1 is a hormone, that plays a crucial role in promoting growth and regulating metabolism. 'While it's essential in childhood and for muscle repair,' Antoun said, 'chronically elevated IGF-1 in adults has been linked to accelerated biological aging and therefore an increased risk of age-related conditions, notably cancer.'
