
Jake Larson, D-Day Veteran and TikTok Star, Dies at 102
His death was confirmed by his granddaughter McKaela Larson, on his social media accounts.
Mr. Larson had 1.2 million followers on TikTok on his channel, 'Story Time with Papa Jake.' He amassed more than 11 million likes on the page.
'He went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end,' Ms. Larson posted. 'As Papa would say, 'Love you all the mostest.'' Information about his other survivors was not immediately available.
Staff Sgt. Larson was among the 160,000 Allied troops who swarmed onto the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, in an invasion that would ultimately lead to the liberation of Europe from the Nazis.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
A Taste Of Tradition: Inside Nice's Iconic Restaurant Acchiardo
Since 1927, Restaurant Acchiardo in the heart of Old Town Nice has been a beloved local haunt serving some of the region's most cherished Niçoise dishes. For four generations, the stone-walled eatery has been known for spotlighting the area's authentic flavors with plates like daube (beef stew braised in wine), panisses (crispy chickpea fritters), and trouchia (a savory frittata with Swiss chard). When she was a child, Virginie Acchiardo, whose great-grandmother opened Restaurant Acchiardo, cherished the aromatic feast that enveloped her senses every morning. Her family lived above the restaurant, and her father, part of the third generation to run it, was already hard at work. 'Every morning before going to school, we would go through the restaurant to have breakfast,' recalls Virginie Acchiardo, who is now the chef of her family's restaurant, which she co-owns and runs with her brothers Jean-François and Raphaël. 'Dad was already in the kitchen preparing dishes like beef stew with a red wine sauce.' She remembers the distinct savory aroma drifting up the stairwell. 'It still reminds me of my father,' she says. She also adored the calming sound of the metal whisk against the mixing bowl when her father beat egg whites to make the chocolate mousse. 'I would watch him in the kitchen,' she says. 'And when the chocolate melted I was always allowed to scrape the pan and taste the chocolate.' Cooking was not only in her DNA, it gave her a deep connection to those she loved. 'I always saw my father in the kitchen and it was a normal continuity,' says Acchiardo. 'Cooking brought me closer to my family. Since they were always at the restaurant, it allowed me to be with them.' While Acchiardo's training was not formal, it was deeply rooted in observation. 'My father said, 'A trade is not learned, it is stolen,'' she says. 'There are ways of doing things that are not written anywhere, especially not in textbooks. Each kitchen has its own organization.' She learned everything from her father, who in turn learned from his grandmother, Madalin. 'I am very proud that I can still make the same recipes from almost 100 years ago, and I am even more proud to be able to work with my two brothers,' she says. 'And our children, the fifth generation, are already starting to work with us, which is also a great source of pride.' Madalin Acchiardo was a widow when she opened Acchiardo in 1927. She and her husband, Giuseppe, who died in 1920, had very little money but saved for years to buy the buy the restaurant and building. Both born in Piedmont in a little Italian village named Norat, Madalin had arrived in Nice in 1896. Working as a maid for a rich family since she was a child she came to Nice alone without her parents. 'They had a lot of courage because life wasn't easy. The restaurant was never closed. They worked all the time,' says Virginie Acchiardo. 'The dishes they made were truly traditional family recipes that were simple and, above all, inexpensive.' In 2027, Restaurant Acchiardo will celebrate its centennial, and in the same locale where it opened all those years ago. 'This is much more than a restaurant. This is our home. We were born here in this building,' says Virginie Acchiardo. 'When customers come to our restaurant, it is as if they are coming into our home. We welcome them into our dining room and share a little bit of our family's life.' Nice and the Côte d'Azur is full of treasures like Restaurant Acchiardo. And getting there is easy via Air France, with direct flights to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, which is just a few miles from the heart of the city. The city's identity is shaped by its French and Italian influences and stunning natural beauty. Nice blends seaside charm with cultural richness. And there is no shortage of great museums, parks, and fine cuisine. The stunning Musée Matisse in the Cimiez district offers a comprehensive overview of Henri Matisse's artistic journey. Located in the neighborhood where he lived and worked, the museum is one of the few public collections in the world that showcases his painted, sculpted, engraved, and drawn works. Or stroll through the lively Cours Saleya, known for its flower market and antiques on Mondays, and don't miss the climb to Parc du Château (or Castle Park), where sweeping views of the Bay of Angels reward the effort of the climb to get there. With its Belle Époque architecture and ideally located on the famous Promenade des Anglais, Hotel West End is a jewel box of a hotel. Behind its grand dame façade, the hotel features elegant rooms, many containing panoramic views overlooking the dramatic Baie des Anges. The hotel is the ideal mix of modern comfort with old-world charm. Plus, the iconic Le Siècle bar and brasserie inside the Hotel West End has old-school glamour and a perfect perch for sunset apéritifs along the promenade. Built in 1842, the hotel is one of the oldest on the waterfront. La Villa Nice Promenade, a boutique hotel steps from the Mediterranean, has a Belle Époque charm. Its leafy terrace and location just off the Promenade des Anglais make it an ideal base for soaking up Nice's sea breeze and laid-back elegance. The hotel's intimate vibe and classic architecture offer a unique mix of privacy and convenience right near the water. Also, the elaborate breakfast is a standout. Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel is another gem and offers a luxurious spa and panoramic rooftop views of the city. Just steps from vibrant Place Masséna, SEEN by Olivier Restaurant on the hotel's rooftop offers Mediterranean cuisine with an Asian twist. And the vistas of sea and cityscape are as delicious as the food. Don't miss their epic Sunday brunch featuring Veuve Clicquot, and an eye-popping buffet from sushi to cheeses to a chocolate fountain. It's perfect for a leisurely indulgence. Boca Nissa, a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired rooftop restaurant, offers panoramic views and great dishes like hummus, sea bass ceviche, burrata, and saffron-flavored rice with langoustines. It's a popular spot for both locals and visitors looking for a memorable dining experience with a contemporary yet relaxed vibe. While La Maison de Marie is a tucked-away treasure that offers Provençal charm and refined Niçoise classics. Set in a secret garden off the bustling Cours Saleya, dishes like zucchini flowers stuffed with salted ricotta and pea cream and traditional Niçoise stew and gnocchi offer a true sense of place. Beyond the city, book an e-bike adventure with Mobilboard Nice, which offers scenic tours to the nearby coastal village of Villefranche-sur-Mer. To cycle around the city and to Antibes and beyond, Bike Trip Nice rents excellent bicycles perfect for exploring the city and coastline. They make it easy to enjoy the Riviera on two wheels. For the alpha cyclists who take their rides seriously, Café du Cycliste is both a top-notch performance gear shop and a cozy café where riders refuel with excellent coffee and croissants. It's the perfect pit stop for cycling enthusiasts wanting to blend passion with relaxation near the port. For travelers venturing to nearby Cannes, YouRent Cannes offers stylish rentals and biking options that make hopping from beach to café a breeze. For Virginie Acchiardo, Nice and the layered history and enduring flavors of her family's restaurant continue to make the region special for her. And she sees the restaurant as a conduit to past and present and to the people who visit. 'This restaurant is my life,' she says. 'It's full of memories and love. When I cook these dishes, I feel close to my father, my family, and the generations that came before me. It's an emotional connection to who we are and where we came from.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
This Isn't the Midlife I Imagined — Here's How I Pivoted at 55
By 55, I thought I'd be cradling a grandchild — not sitting alone in the room that once held a crib for the children I hoped to have. But life had other plans. Despite years of trying — naturally, through IVF, adoption, and even fostering — my husband, Michel, and I were never able to have children together. Michel and I met when I was 40. It was six years after I moved to France, having fled my ex-husband, who had decided that he no longer wanted to have children. We had been together for 13 years, and in the last two years of the relationship, I fought hard for the 'opportunity' to have a child. We went to couples therapy for a year to explore why he changed his mind, to figure out under what circumstances we could be parents (or at least me), and determine how we could still be married if he did not want to raise a child. Therapy didn't shift anything; he didn't change his mind, and I didn't change mine. So I left him. Michel was different. Already a father of two daughters, he wanted more children. After trying naturally for one year, we did several rounds of IVF in France. We traveled to Greece because France did not allow the use of donor eggs for IVF. We spent our earnings to pay for four rounds of IVF cycles using donor eggs. We hired lawyers in Lebanon and an adoption agency in Florida to assist us with the international adoption process. Ten years in, nothing had worked. A few years after moving to the U.S., we started fostering children, but the bureaucracy and the unpredictability of the families took a toll on us. In the meantime, we kept getting older. Before we knew it, we were in midlife. Letting go of the life I planned I was forever defined by my high school biology teacher's encouraging comment about me: 'Stephanie perseveres when times are difficult.' After 20 years of trying to become a parent, I stopped when I was 54. My desire for having children did not wane at that moment, but my disinterest in raising a child under these circumstances surfaced. In February 2024, I spent four weeks in Europe for work. I stayed in Lake Como with one of my closest friends and her daughter, Emily. Emily is 15. She texts nonstop, hangs out with friends, forgets to shower, and must be reminded to go to bed before midnight. She wasn't my responsibility, but I was exhausted just being in her presence. She's a teenager, and I'm middle-aged. One night, while walking to buy chicken for dinner, it hit me. I didn't want to raise a teenager when I was 65. I didn't want to raise one now. I didn't want to worry about late-night curfews or college applications at this point in life. I also didn't want to stay up all night with a newborn. That moment — alone, chicken in hand, on a tiny Italian street — I knew it was over. My desire for having children did not wane at that moment, but my disinterest in raising a child under these circumstances surfaced. I had spent so much time determined to expand my family, I didn't even notice that my dreams had shifted. What I was envisioning now was what retirement would look like for us in 10 to 15 years. Sandy beaches, sitting on the terrace of our apartment in the Algarve, sipping Portuguese wine, reading books, and learning to sail. In my fantasy, we would live in Paris from September to January, and we would spend the rest of the year in Portugal. We would discover different parts of Portugal with our new Portuguese friends. Raising a 10-year-old child did not fit into those plans. When the dream of parenthood finally came to an end, I was left wondering what my purpose would be now. Seeking healing, I connected with a CBT therapist. First, she encouraged me to follow the Miracle Morning routine by Hal Elrod. In this daily practice, you complete the SAVERS protocol each day: Silence, Affirmations, Visualizations, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (journaling). The goal, she told me, was to calm my anxiety and learn to be present in the moment. Always skeptical, I wondered, What will this do for me? How will this answer my 'what now' question? But left with few options, I did it anyway. What else was I going to do? Keep crying about how my life didn't go as planned? Will I continue to dwell on my failed attempt at parenthood even though I willingly gave it up last year? Or will I make the most of what is in front of me now? When visualizing, I got frustrated. I used to be able to visualize my dream scenario — happy, frolicking kids were always in the picture — but for the first time, I simply couldn't see anything. My therapist suggested that I visualize the current day, week, or month. That made it digestible for me. 'Today, I am working, exercising, making dinner.' 'Next week, I will read a book.' 'In one month, we will be at the beach.' These were simple steps that eventually strengthened this visualization muscle, but I still had more healing to do. Redefining my purpose in my pivot year Recently, I was scrolling on Instagram and came across a reel of Hoda Kotb discussing a book she was reading: The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest. She read, 'Everything is yours for a time, and then it isn't. Everything is borrowed, and everything is temporary when you are here. Yet, you approach your life as though you have forever to live it.' This deeply resonated with me — and I was in my pivot year, so I bought the book immediately. On Day 1 of this calendar book of reflection, Wiest writes, 'Will you continue to replay the memories of yesterday, or will you meet the moment and make the most of what is in front of you now?' That hit hard. Will I continue to dwell on my failed attempt at parenthood even though I willingly gave it up last year? Or will I make the most of what is in front of me now? That sounds simple enough — move on. But to what? On Day 2, Wiest writes, 'When you finally admit that you don't know what's next, you enter the golden vortex — the space between everything you know you're meant for and anything you had previously imagined to be.' For the first time, letting go of what I thought was possible didn't sound so bad after all. This golden vortex of everything else that is possible was on the horizon. Finding meaning in a different midlife than you expected I recently turned the baby's room into my Miracle Morning room. I removed the crib and installed a small white writing desk in front of a window so I could see into the garden. I replaced the rocking chair with a comfy swivel chair and ottoman for my feet. I got a desk lamp so bright it could power the Eiffel Tower — Michel hates it. Every day, I work on the SAVERS. With silence, I listen to sound bowls to relax. Journaling turned into writing a blog. I started reading more — so much more that I need to buy a new bookshelf. Repeating affirmations has helped me maintain emotional balance and stay grounded in the present moment. And visualizations have turned from 'what does today look like' to 'what could my future look like.' This is where the golden vortex comes in: I could finally feel myself opening up to all the possibilities, not just one unattainable goal. So I started exploring them. I took a Broadway dance class — and learned that my speed is more 'Introduction to Ballet.' I also tried puzzling, but realized I'm not patient enough to spend all that time trying to get the right pieces to fit together. In March, I traveled to Rome solo. This version of midlife is different from the one I expected; it's more trial and error, more exploration and unknowns, but I'm learning to live it fully — and I'm uncovering interests and dreams I never knew existed as I go. I'm excited to see what awaits. I'm no longer chasing the life I thought I was supposed to have; I'm focusing on the one I have right now. The post This Isn't the Midlife I Imagined — Here's How I Pivoted at 55 appeared first on Katie Couric Media. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Would You Swim in the Seine? Our Paris Reporter Took the Plunge.
The Seine is open for public swimming after a century-long ban. WSJ's Noemie Bisserbe takes a dip.